MOH Bans Mama Mbogas From Chopping Sukuma Wiki For Customers

Mama mbogas will no longer be allowed to chop Sukuma wiki or cabbage for their customers before selling it to them according to the new guidelines from the Ministry of Health.

The move by the ministry is set to disrupt the long-standing tradition of “value-add” by vegetable traders who often chop the merchandise before selling it to make it easy for the customer during preparation.

“Traders selling fresh food items such as vegetables, should not chop the vegetables. These should be sold whole to avoid contamination,” said the Ministry in a statement.

The Ministry, however, did not provide the action that will be taken against traders who will go against this directive. The Ministry says the measures are tailored towards stopping the spread of Covid-19.

Going forward, the trader and the buyer will be required to be wearing masks and both should be standing one meter apart. The trader will also be required to facilitate the cashless mode of payment at their place of work.

“Most of our customers are bachelors who have no knives or don’t know how to chop the vegetables. Telling us not to chop it for them is like telling us to chase them away. They will start eating eggs,” said Anita Njeri, a vegetable vendor at Allsopps, Outering Road.

As the cases continue to spike around the country, the government is still between a rock and a hard place in deciding whether the economy should be opened and things turn back to normal.

At the same time, restaurants have been issued with a new set of guidelines, including ensuring that customers are sitting one meter apart, pay using mobile money as opposed to cash and designate areas of entry and exit from their businesses.

Restaurant owners say the regulations means they will be making losses daily by spending more on meeting the regulations and getting less than half out of it.

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