The transport sector has been allowed to resume the night transport operations following the lift of the dusk to dawn curfew by President Uhuru Kenyatta on October 20, this year.
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works James Macharia however, encouraged the transport service providers and commuters travelling at night to comply with the containment measure guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.
“It is mandatory that all transport service providers and commuters use face masks while on board and in public places, to observe use of sanitizers, hand washing, rapid health screening and other mitigation measures issued that have proved effective in controlling the spread of the virus,” said Macharia.
In a press statement sent to newsrooms today, the CS said in the first week of October this year, his ministry launched a nation-wide campaign on Covid-19 vaccination for operators in the transport sector to take the vaccine.
Macharia said the aim was to target the public service vehicle crew and owners, bodaboda riders, taxi and other support staff within the industry as frontline sector workers.
“We are encouraging members of the Transport fraternity to embrace the Covid-19 vaccination in line with the transport sector National Rallying theme of ‘PataChajo, TuimarisheUsafiri and the PataChajo, TufungueNchi’,” urged the CS.
He added that by complying they will be complementing the government’s efforts to ensure that all citizen are vaccinated thereby fast tracking economic recovery.
Macharia said the pandemic had prompted the transport sector to limit operations in adherence to the existing Covid -19 guidelines, a matter he said affected the sector leading to huge financial losses.
He also thanked the Ministry of Health for guiding the sector in preparing various protocols for different modes of transport and the members of the public for complying with the transport guidelines which he said helped to minimize the spread of the Virus.
The ban of night-inter city and county operations was introduced by the government to contain the spread of Covid-19 virus.
By Bernadette Khaduli
