AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER
KENYAN deputy president William Samuel Ruto has held a consultation with church leaders in an effort to bolster government and civil society efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ruto met with the Federation of Evangelical and Indigenous Churches of Kenya. “(We) discussed the integral role of the church and faith leaders, both practically and pastorally, in responding to the COVID-19 crisis through advocacy and awareness creation,” Ruto said,
The meeting took place after Kenya extended a nightly curfew for 30 days to curb the spread of COVID-19 and banned alcohol sales in restaurants but stopped short of locking down the country again despite a surge in cases.
The curfew had been due to be lifted on August 6 or 7.
Kenya has so far reported 17,975 cases of infection with the new coronavirus and 285 deaths from the related disease COVID-19. The health ministry said on Sunday it had reported 960 more cases, the biggest daily jump since the first case was confirmed in March.
“The harsh reality my friends is that we are at war. At war with an invisible enemy who is relentless,” Kenyan President Uhutu Kenyatta said in a televised address.
Kenyatta said the government had also shortened restaurant operating times by an hour, and ordered bars to stay closed indefinitely, but stopped short of reimposing a full lockdown.
“We cannot have a policeman at every street and in every village to enforce the rules. We need, as citizens, to hold ourselves and one another accountable,” he said.
The outbreak has hit the economy, with the finance ministry projecting growth will slow to 2.5% this year from 5.4% last year.
Kenyatta said that among other measures, the health ministry would be authorised to convert government amenities such as schools and sports facilities into quarantine and isolation centres if needed.
Had consultation with the Federation of Evangelical and Indigenous Churches of Kenya; discussed the integral role of the church and faith leaders, both practically and pastorally, in responding to the COVID-19 crisis through advocacy and awareness creation, Karen office, Nairobi. pic.twitter.com/F9luA3wALr
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) July 28, 2020
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