Two vehicles ferrying a total of 52 farm labourers were impounded by police on Wednesday, April 15 and taken to Maragua police station.
The lorry was carrying 47 passengers while the pickup had five passengers on board who were on their way to a farm in Murang’a.
The vehicles were impounded and the 52 passengers arrested for not following the social distancing rule and not wearing masks. Speaking to Kameme TV, Muranga South Deputy County Commissioner Mawera Mungania confirmed the arrests,
“In the morning we got information from our officers at Maragua police station, the OCS said he had found a lorry and a small pick up that was ferrying people against the law.
“They were flaunting the legal notice number 50 of the Covid-19 public health act and for now we are urging people to observe social distancing.
“We are happy that the police officers were able to impound this lorry with almost 50 people inside, they also did not have masks and they were all aboard the lorry.
“The lorry is not even designed to carry passengers, there was also a pick up that belonged to the farm owner that had labourers inside.”
Mungania added that the 52 will be quarantined while the owner of the farm will be charged for risking the lives of his workers by not adhering to regulations to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The lorry was also not designed to ferry passengers and only had benches placed on the side with small windows installed.
The 52 will now have to part with a fine of Sh20,000 or risk six months in jail according to the gazetted Public Health Act penalties.
