Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has expressed frustration at crafty Kenyans who are ordering as little as a sausage accompanied with two beers to work around state directives for eateries.
"Watu wanakula sausage moja na beer mbili. Anaingia kwa restaurant ingine anakunywa sausage na beer mbili. Anaenda kwa ingine anaitisha machungwa na beer mbili eti ni dessert," he said.
This translates to, "Some are ordering just one sausage and two beers. They then hop into another restaurant and do the same. Others order oranges and two beers that are supposedly the dessert."
The state gave strict directives for reopening of restaurants two weeks ago. Bars have not been allowed to reopen, but eateries are allowed to serve alcohol within strict guidelines.
One of the directives was that beer can only be ordered when accompanied by a meal, and even then, it must be taken with the meal or up to 30 minutes after the meal.
Despite the new tactics, Kagwe said he does not regret reopening restaurants amid the coronavirus pandemic.
'I don't regret reopening restaurants and eateries, it was an effort to see that Kenyans do not go hungry.' Closing them all together is one of the measures on the table ," Kagwe said.
The CS on Tuesday said the government will enforce the law and even threatened to de-register non-compliant eateries.
"Enforcement is going to be part of the measures..we will de-register restaurants permanently or for six months if someone is misbehaving," he said.
"I don't regret the decision. The idea came from a good place. It was not a Mutahi Kagwe decision but governments effort to see people continue to earn a livelihood…"
We are trying not to transport people who do not need help to become people who need welfare.”
Kenya has recorded 45 more positive cases, bringing the total to 535 people.
This marks the highest number of patients since the first case was recorded on March 13.
Kagwe said 29 are from Nairobi, and all of them are from Eastleigh.
This raises the total number of cases in Eastleigh to 63, making it a hot spot in Nairobi.