An anticipated curfew of at least one hour and restriction of all forms of gathering, including private ones, to 15 people. This is what Kenya's private sector is asking directly from President Uhuru Kenyatta, with immediate effect and for the next few weeks.
The percentage that has now been fixed for days at over 20% and the data coming from hospitals and the health sector do not allow optimism for what has now been clearly defined as the third wave in the country.
The ball is now in the government's court, after the Kenya Private Sector Alliance issued a statement dated 25 March urging the government to take further measures to mitigate the spike in infections, based on the worrying data for the increase in cases and the collapse of the health system, especially in Nairobi.
"Regarding curfew and isolation, we recommend that the countrywide curfew should start at 9pm until 4am for the next three weeks," the statement reads. "Only businesses that work night shifts, evening deliveries and other essential services should be exempted," it says. "Limit the number of people attending funerals to fewer than 15, reduce the number of people attending physical gatherings, and police national and inter-county borders to minimise the spread."
The request coincides with rumours from many quarters that an inter-county lockdown will be introduced during the Easter holiday week. This is a drastic and harsh decision, in light of the many bookings of flights, trains, hotels and rented houses for the festivities and for the movement of thousands of people, including students, from their places of work and study to their family villages.
Meanwhile, anticipating restrictions, outbound traffic from the capital to other counties has increased in Nairobi since yesterday. Representatives of the transport associations admitted that there has been an unusual increase in requests and movements, while the city's main outbound arteries have been stormed and busy since early afternoon. This will most likely be repeated today and tomorrow. Or at least until the government makes its decisions.