Hargeisa Municipality today started a cleaning campaign to clear the city center from kiosks and irregular public gathering spaces.
The drive was led by the Mayor of Hargeisa, Abdirahman Soltelco and was aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly novel Covid-19 infection.
The mayor said this was part of enforcing the directives issued by the National Committee for Covid-19 Preparedness and Response.
“This drive is about cleaning the city and disperse public gatherings. When we came here at 6 am, we found men who were chewing khat all night and sitting in groups of ten. We are not destroying legal kiosks, only the irregular ones and we are clearing public gathering places.” said Mayor Soltelco.
Mayor Soltelco said that tea-shops must now close as they are believed hot spots for the spread of Covid-19.
Somaliland has so far registered five Covid-19 cases in the cities of Borama, Burao, Hargeisa, and Berbera.
Since Somaliland is yet to conduct regular mass testing, the number is suspected to be much higher.
A response to Covid-19 outbreak, the government has banned congregation prayers, shut its borders in a drastic measures announced by the Committee against Covid-19 yesterday.
Other measures include suspending the closure of schools and decreasing the working capacity of public transportation to half.
