More countries are joining the growing list of those who are requiring their Public Servants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under the threat of punishment.
In Kenya, Government workers have until the end of the month to get vaccinated or risk disciplinary action, according to a Government circular.
The order comes as the country’s Parliament is considering a motion to bar unvaccinated people, or those without negative COVID-19 certificates, from public places.
Kenya is witnessing a surge in pandemic cases, but the vaccine rollout remains slow, with less than three per cent of the 47 million population having had shots.
Head of the Public Service, Joseph Kinyua (pictured) said some officers were deliberately avoiding vaccinations so they could stay away from work under the guise of working from home.
Mr Kinyua said there had been a low uptake of vaccines among Public Servants, particularly in the security sector, among teachers and core Public Service workers, all designated as essential workers by the Government.
“Those who have not had a first jab by the end of August will be treated as discipline cases and appropriate action taken against them”, he said, without elaborating on what the penalties might be.
In the Maldives, the Civil Service Commission has declared that unvaccinated Public Servants will be required to take COVID-19 tests fortnightly.
Those failing to do this are to be barred from their offices and unable to work.
President, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said the Government aimed to have 90 per cent of the population vaccinated by the end of August.
Nairobi/Male, 16 August, 2021
