Murang’a county government has so far not allowed any local restaurant to re-open for normal services even after the National government, through the Ministry of health allowed the same.
The County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for health and sanitation Joseph Mbai has warned restaurant owners operating without getting a green light from the department of health that they will be punished.
Mbai on Thursday noted that they have written to hotel and restaurant owners to provide lists of employees who need to undergo covid-19 tests before they are allowed to get back to their businesses although so, he said, said they are yet to receive covid-19 testing kits from KEMSA for the exercise.
“Many restaurants have made application to be allowed to reopen but for now we are waiting to be supplied with testing kits by KEMSA. So far no hotel is allowed to go back to normal operation,” said Mbai.
He noted that after the county government wrote a letter to the hotels and restaurants to furnish the department of health with names of waiters among other employees, some restaurant owners misinterpreted the information and opted to open back business.
“There are conditions which a hotel has to meet before it is allowed to reopen and so far no restaurant in Murang’a County has met the conditions since we have not started exercise of testing their workers,” added Mbai.
He noted that hotels can continue with take away services as they wait to be allowed to return to full operations.
“The hotels cannot be allowed to operate normally when the workers don’t have a certificate indicating they are free from covid-19. The tests can be done more frequent considering the waiters interact with many customers on daily basis,” said the CEC.
Mbai said those found operating without meeting the ministry of health stipulated conditions will face the law.
“Hotel owners found flouting the ministry of health guidelines of Covid 19 will face the law. Some people are proving to be defiant to the government’s regulations meant to combat the disease,” he added.
He called upon residents to adhere to government’s directives stipulated to control spread of coronavirus saying the county government is still going on in providing personal protection materials.
By Bernard Munyao
Muranga Restaurants Remain Closed
