President Uhuru Kenyatta has said there will be no extension of the curfew hours during Ramadan due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The head of state made the remarks on Wednesday morning during a radio interview with local Swahili radio stations.
He said these are extraordinary times and urged Muslims to mark the holy month of Ramadan differently this year.
“We respect all religions but we have said that let us all celebrate and mark these religious days in our homes, on radio and on television. I ask our Muslim brothers and sisters to mark the holy month of Ramadhan like they have not done before because these are extraordinary times,” President Kenyatta said.
The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) last week requested the government to extend the curfew hours from 7pm to 9pm during Ramadan to allow Muslims participate fully in the holy month according to tradition.
CIPK organising Secretary Sheikh Khalifa Mohammed argued that Muslims will be breaking the fast at 6:30pm in Mombasa and 30 minutes is not enough for Iftar.
President Kenyatta ordered for the dusk to dawn curfew which started on March 27, 2020.
Kenyans are expected to stay indoors between 7pm and 5am. The curfew is expected to go on for 30 days.
