Protest over dusk-to-dawn Lamu curfew enters day two
Businesses remained closed in Lamu Town on Wednesday as residents continued their protests for the second day over the ongoing dusk-to-dawn curfew. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The residents are demanding for the lifting of the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed some four months ago.
- Traders at the Lamu Municipal Market said they were already incurring huge losses following the decree for businesses on the island to remain closed.
- Transport to and from the island continued to be suspended as boat operators also joined in the protests which started on Tuesday.
- Lamu County Commander Ephantus Kiura revealed that an emergency security meeting was held on Wednesday morning to deliberate on how to address the issue.
Businesses and transport in Lamu Island were for the second day paralysed on Wednesday following the withdrawal of all services by residents demanding the lifting of the dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Transport to and from the island continued to be suspended as boat operators also joined in the protests which started on Tuesday this week.
Following the freeze of activities, most traders and residents in Lamu Town have started feeling the effect of the protests.
Many of the traders and locals who talked to Nation.co.ke called on the government to help end the ongoing shut down saying that they were making huge losses.
Traders at the Lamu Municipal Market said they were already incurring huge losses following the decree for businesses on the island to remain closed.
The traders, mostly grocers, butchers and shop owners, said they were unable to conduct their businesses at the market after it was forcefully shut down by rowdy youths on Tuesday morning.
Since then it has remained shut.
Lamu Municipal Market Traders Association Chairman Mohamed Abdullahi urged for the government to intervene and solve the curfew conflict before they incur more losses.
MARKET CLOSED
“We were forced to close the market. We are not allowed to sell or buy. Our groceries are already going stale.
We are going to incur unimaginable losses. We are praying that the government quickly addresses the matter. We want the situation to normalise,” said Mr Abdullahi.
Hotels and restaurants on the island also remained shut.
Some residents had earlier spent the time to stock up on food in their houses in expectation of shortages that would be caused by the shutdown.
However, others who did not prepare for the situation expressed fears that they might starve as they had no food in their houses.
“All shops and markets are closed. I don’t have any food in the house left. No boats or buses are allowed within the island. How am I going to survive for all these days?
“The government should come up with an immediate solution to end this,” said Mrs Betty Karago, a resident of Kashmir in Lamu.
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE
Mr Mohamed Abubakar, the chairman of Save Lamu Civil Society Group urged the government to listen to the pleas of the people.
“Business, fishing and tourism industries have suffered enough since the attacks in June and July.
“The government should contain the situation at hand or else there will be more damage to these economic sectors which are the backbone of Lamu,” said Mr Abubakar.
Meanwhile, security remained tight on the island.
Lamu County Commander Ephantus Kiura revealed that an emergency security meeting was held on Wednesday morning to deliberate on how to address the issue.
Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo was earlier Tuesday expected in the county to assess the situation but Mr Kiura confirmed the cancellation of the IG’s visit to Lamu.
“He is not coming. He was in Malindi and then returned to Nairobi. I don’t think there is a big issue here to bring Mr Kimaiyo.
“We are on high alert. In fact we will hold an urgent security briefing with my officers and find out how to go about this Lamu matter,” said Mr Kiura.
