Just two days after President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the night curfew imposed in March 2020, bars and clubs in coastal counties have lined up several activities, including live bands.
At various spots, banners are flying advertising the resumption of night life and inviting revellers.
At Club Brazuca Sports Pub in Diani, Kwale County, there will be reggae sessions on Saturday, while in Mombasa, Club Cheers will host a live band on Friday.
“Welcome to curfew lifting party”, declare banners at Cheers Club in Bamburi.
At Club 04 on Moi Avenue in Mombasa, the management will also host different DJs.
Beach hotels, including Mombasa Continental and Bamburi Beach, have not been left out of the party as they celebrate the return of night life.
“We have opened our Madafu Beach Bar and Pool Bar, which is open for both locals and hotel residents. Apart from that, we shall open ‘Le Club’, which is known by many due to its different music sessions,” said Chrispus Mwamidi, Mombasa Continental operations manager.
Mr Mwamidi said all the staff have been vaccinated to ensure they reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus and they will continue to observe Ministry of Health protocols to protect clients.
Margret Masha, Bamburi Beach marketing manager, said the lifting of the curfew essentially meant bars can operate outside the earlier stipulated times but within their licence requirements.
“We had challenges of our visitors remaining indoors during curfew time. But with the curfew listed, they can now go out and have fun, but in our hotel we still have open nightclubs which have started operating,” she said.
During Mashujaa Day celebrations at Wang’uru Stadium in Kirinyaga County, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the lifting of the curfew followed a review of the containment measures by the National Emergency Response Committee and the National Security Council.
The surge in infections, he said, had fallen below two per cent in the last two weeks, with only 4.6 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated.
Before the curfew was lifted, bars and nightclubs nationwide operated from 5pm to 9pm in compliance with Covid-19 containment measures.
Mombasa County Bar Owners Association chairman Kennedy Mumbo said that of 1,200 bars, only 500 were operating due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
“We expect more bars that were shut down due to lack of business will soon reopen as the sector recovers and workers are recalled,” he said.
