NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 14-Unvaccinated people will no longer have access to Yaya Centre shopping mall in Nairobi from December 21 as more businesses tighten measures to accelerate the vaccination campaign in the country.
Days after the Sarova Group of hotels issued a notice warning that guests will be required to provide vaccination prove, Yaya Centre has too issued a warning.
“Please note the above will apply for all tenants, staff, customers, suppliers and contractors who will be accessing the shopping mall,” the mall’s General Manager Edna Fernandes said in a notice to its tenants last week.
Fernandes said customers will be required to show proof that they have been vaccinated at the entry, failure to which they will be turned away.
“We urge you to kindly assist us to ensure that the malls comply with the above directive to facilitate access ease of access especially during the festive season,” the mall told its tenants.
The warnings follow directives from the government which also plans to restrict access to unvaccinated people in government establishments for services.
Already the Ministry of Health has agreed with churches to provide grounds for vaccination from next week to enable as many Kenyans to get the jab.
The g0vernment aims to vaccinate at least 10 million people by the end of this month.
“As announced by the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Health in a statement dated 21 November 2021, the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus (NERC) has directed that with effect from 21 December 2021, it will be mandatory for guests to show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination prior to use of our facilities,” Sarova hotels said in a statement last week.
In November, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that anyone not vaccinated will be denied essential government services, with restrictions in entertainment joints and other places, in what has sparked outrage.
Kagwe said that in-person government services and access to public gatherings, parks, hotels, restaurants, and bars will be denied government from December 21.
Other services to be denied include Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), education, immigration, hospital and prison visitations, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Ports Authority among others.
This move has sparked debate about the rationale behind compelling Kenyans to get vaccinated by specific dates, certain date with activists terming the move “coercive and unconstitutional.”
