The Bar, Hotels, and Liquor Traders Association (BAHLITA) has pledged to abide by government protocols directing that those yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 be denied access to services in public places.
BAHLITA, in press address on Friday led by Chairman Simon Njoroge, however, requested the government to implement better ways for clients to show proof of vaccination before entering the premises.
The association cited, for instance, an app that can digitally show if one has been vaccinated or not by keying in their phone numbers, rather than asking customers to show their certificates.
“The Ministry of Health sent a memo saying that anybody who comes to our premises at least should show a certificate that they have been vaccinated. As BAHLITA, we do not fight with that, we are here to say that we respect what the government has said and we are going to hold it strongly,” said Mr. Njoroge.
“We need an app, that anytime you come to my premises I will just ask for your phone number where I will put it on my phone and show whether you are vaccinated. At times it’s a bit hard to go and ask people if they are vaccinated but if we can get that app it will help.”
The bar owners further urged the Ministry of Health to establish partnerships with some of them, especially the large establishments, to use their premises as vaccination centers.
In a Wednesday decree, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said that anybody seeking in-person government services should have taken the double jab and show proof of vaccination whether in hard copy or digital format.
She noted that proof of vaccination will also be needed in public places such as national parks, game reserves, hotels, bars, restaurants, as well as in public transport means among them domestic flights, trains, and PSVs.
