Quarantine centre escapees will be arrested, according to Kenyatta

Kenya’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta, has said that the people filmed escaping from a coronavirus quarantine centre in the capital, Nairobi, would be rounded up and arrested.

He was speaking on Wednesday morning, just hours after the video, which shows people jumping over a perimeter wall, was shared online by the news outlet Daily Nation.

Local media have put the total number of people that escaped at 50, though the government has yet to confirm this.

The president said they were aware of the identities of all the escapees, and they would be arrested and brought back to the centre to finish their quarantine period.

On Tuesday the health ministry confirmed it would be launching an investigation into the escape.

Kenya’s Citizen TV station said the breakout happened when it started raining during a meal, and the guards left their positions to take cover.

More than 400 people are under forced quarantine across the country, many of whom are there for breaking lockdown rules and going to bars.

Those in the centres have complained about their poor hygiene conditions, saying they are more likely to catch the coronavirus in there than outside.

[Photo: AFP]