Gov’t orders Mama Mbogas to stop chopping vegetables for customers over COVID-19 fears

Traders selling fresh food items, or Mama Mbogas as they are popularly known, should not chop their vegetables but sell them whole to customers in-order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This is just one of the measures outlined by the government in fresh guidelines issued for business operations as partial reopening of the economy beckons.

In the guidelines, traders and hawkers will also have to restructure their work places to ensure social distancing rules are maintained.

Traders in the Jua Kali sector will have to designate work stations and tools for individual artisans and decontaminate in case of shared tools.

Business owners running barbershops, salons and other beauty spots have not been spared either; they will have to maintain appropriate distances while keeping at least one work station open between clients.

This is in addition to limiting the number of clients at any given time.

Owners of restaurants and eateries are required to stagger their shifts and rotate staff members to reduce employees present at a given time.

They have also been urged to arrange staff transport in a bid to reduce public transport use.

All businesses are encouraged to adopt cashless transactions, ensure ventilation by leaving windows open if possible, clean work surfaces 3 to 4 times daily while keeping track of employee attendance through tracing.

Even though business owners say they are not opposed to the guidelines, some fear that this may lead to rise in cost of operations, which may eventually be absorbed by consumers.

The guidelines will be subject to change depending on what direction the  COVID-19 pandemic takes.