After protests by trade associations, the Kenyan government has made a half a step backwards about the ban on opening restaurants in the evening hours.
The compromise between 5 p.m., the closing time suggested by the Ministry of Health, and 8 p.m., the time that the managers and owners of catering activities had adopted as natural after moving the beginning of the curfew from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., has been found: restaurants will be able to serve food until 7.30 p.m., while pubs and nightclubs will have to remain closed.
It was Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe who announced the decision at the Covid-19 press conference.
"However, we invite restaurants to be more diligent in complying with the guidelines of the Ministry - said Kagwe - and in particular they must control the temperatures of customers arriving at the restaurant and avoid that people with fever or symptoms attributable to the coronavirus can make their entrance. As well as the distances between people (1.5m) must be respected and the tables cannot accommodate more than four people, kept at 10 square meters from 4 others.
In addition, the measures require all workers in the facilities to undergo Covid-19 swabs to reduce the risk of the disease spreading by waiters and staff.
The lack of compliance with the rules by many catering activities in the country is the basis for the decision not to extend beyond opening hours.