Police officers arrest locals for a breach of COVID-19 curfew regulation as they ushered 2021 New Year in Bamburi, Kisauni sub-county, Mombasa, Kenya, Dec. 31, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

 

Photo taken on March 27, 2020 shows an empty street after the start of a curfew in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: Xinhua)

 
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday ordered lifting of nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew the government imposed at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 amid drastic slump in new infections and fatalities.

Speaking during an event to mark National Heroes' Day in central Kenyan county of Kirinyaga, Kenyatta said the night curfew had been vacated amid subsiding threat of the pandemic to the economy and livelihoods.

"I hereby order and direct the nationwide dusk to dawn curfew that has been in effect from March 27, 2020 to be vacated with immediate effect," said Kenyatta.

The president also said that attendance to houses of worship had been raised from one third of capacity to two thirds, while stressing that adherence to coronavirus prevention measures including wearing masks and physical distancing will be maintained.

Kenyatta revealed that 5 million adults had been vaccinated against COVID-19 but warned that the country was yet to flatten the curve, hence the need for citizens to continue adhering to containment measures.

He noted that the country had sustained a positivity rate of less than 5 percent over the last two weeks, thereby easing pressure on public health systems and hastening a return to normalcy.