6 Months In Prison Or Ksh. 20,000 Fine For Failure To Wear A Mask

Users of public or private transport and Passenger Service Vehicles are now required by the law to wear a proper mask that must cover the mouth and nose or risk a fine not exceeding 20,000 shillings or spend six months in prison.

A gazette notice published in the local dailies states that a person who contravenes the rule on wearing a mask will be committing a legal offense that will attract dire consequences such as six months in prison.

“A person who commits an offense under these Rules shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 20,000 shillings or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both,” the notice reads.

The notice also directs that every organization, business entity, trader or vendor whether in a market or enclosed premises must provide either water and soap to customers or an alcohol-based sanitizer approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).

Business entities vendors, traders, and organizations are also required to put in place measures that ensure customers maintain a distance of not less than one meter between the persons on the premises.

Business entities, vendors, traders, and organizations will also be required by the law to sanitize their premises on a regular basis, failure to which they will risk 20,000 shillings fine or an imprisonment of six months.

The Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced that boda boda operators are only allowed to carry one passenger at a time and must also wear masks a requirement also expected of their passengers.

The CS Health also said private vehicles are to avoid carrying more than 50 percent of licensed capacity and should ensure all passengers wear masks.

Those found flouting the new regulations that are set at containing the spread COVID-19 will have their vehicle detained at a police station if at all it is a vehicle with any passenger not wearing a mask.

“The Cabinet Secretary may exempt any person from the provisions of the Rules on such terms and conditions as he shall certify in writing,” the gazette notice explains.

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