Bar and restaurant owners in Murang’a have formed a team which will present their grievances before the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
The team will next week meet the Health CS and deliberate measures among other arrangements, which need to be taken before reopening of bars.
Led by their chairman Simon Njoroge, the traders said they are ready to adhere to all protocols given by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus within their work places.
Njoroge lauded the President for directing reopening of restaurants saying the move has helped many people avoid losing their jobs.
For the past four months, Njoroge said restaurants have been counting losses which occasioned by laying off of scores of workers.
The bar owners spoke to members of the press at Murang’a town on Tuesday days after the President directed reopening of restaurants.
“As restaurant owners we appreciate the directive of the President on reopening of restaurants. The team we have formed will be meeting the Health CS and deliberate on measures which need to be taken before reopening of bars,” said Njoroge.
As the association, he added that they will encourage all bar owners to become members so they can manage their business well by following the government’s directive.
Murang’a county has 2, 300 bars but some owners are yet to join the association which champions interests of the liquor sellers.
Njoroge castigated a section of bar owners who have turned their houses into liquor dens saying such people should be banned from selling alcohol.
“We have information that after the government closed bars, some of the owners opted to be selling liquor brands from their houses, a move which is very wrong. We appeal to security agents to take necessary action against those doing so,” noted Njoroge.
He said as members of the association they will follow up their members and ensure they operate within the government’s protocols warning that they will report any member who breaks rules to police.
By Bernard Munyao
