Vegetable vendors, passengers laud lifting of curfew in Turkana
By KNA, April 11, 2024Plans by the government to lift the ongoing curfew in parts of Turkana county have been welcomed by residents among them vegetable vendors.
Turkana county commissioner Julius Kavita said last week the government would soon review the curfew in Turkana South sub-county.
He said Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki would degazette the curfew but urged locals to maintain peace.
The government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in parts of Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia, Samburu, Turkana and West Pokot counties in response to prevailing elevated levels of banditry.
Traders and passengers welcomed the move saying it would reduce their travel time and ensure their goods reach their destinations in time.
The curfew imposed in Turkana South between Lokichar and Kainuk had led to delays and increased costs for transportation of goods and passengers.
Prices drop
Passengers were forced to spend nights at either town if they failed to have crossed the borders by 6 pm.
Grace Akinyi, a vegetable vendor, welcomed the new move saying it was a reprieve to her business.
“We are happy to hear that the government will lift the curfew. Sometimes vegetables go bad leading to losses,” she said. In the meantime, the prices of daily consumer goods have reduced in Turkana in the months of March and April this year.
A spot check revealed that general prices of commonly used foodstuff such as maize, sugar and cooking oil have reduced at both wholesale and retail markets.
The price of a 50-kilogramme bag of maize reduced from Sh2,100 to Sh1,700 which is a 19.04pc drop in the months of March and April as compared to February.