COVID-19, CURFEWS AND CORRUPTION.
The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the whole world killing hundreds of people in different parts of the globe. The worst-case at the moment is the United States of America where it is reported that 2700 people succumb to the virus deadly. The virus has left health workers fatigued, resources like ventilators, hospital beds, proper hospital gear like gloves, masks. A huge number of the world population operates from indoors due to the curfews and lockdowns that have been put up as measures to curb the spread of the virus.
Africa as a continent was not spared. We could either blame this on the corrupt officials who ordered for the late closure of the borders or the ignorance of Kenyans who thought that the virus was a white people thing. Shock on us. Since the announcement of the first case of the virus in the country, a lot has been witnessed. Kenyans have found ways of dealing with the pandemic in their own way. Sanitizers of all kinds have flocked the market. In every shop, social distancing is the new normal as customers are advised to maintain the one-meter distance.
Government officials have come up with different responses to the virus. The national government has been enforcing quarantine in different government facilities at an individual's own cost. A move that has been highly criticized by the public. Don't we have one billion that was collected to ease the COVID-19 burden? You would think that the incompetency of some officials would like low but to my surprise, this is not the case.
Others have suddenly found their mojo. A county that is usually in a dilapidated state just the other day has now found its footing during this period. Food donations are being delivered to residents in droves, masks are issued out by the police instead of the battering that residents of other counties are served. A sanitizing station has been put to ease and keep safe residents who use ferries for their day to day activities. The governor is all hands on deck, a move which was very much unprecedented considering his love for lawlessness and incompetency. The question is, will this be the new dawn, or will he backslide post-pandemic?
This is only one governor, the country has 47. I wonder what the other 46 are up to?
To quarantine or not? This is the dilemma that a few Kenyans found themselves in it when they chose to discharge themselves from a quarantine facility by jumping over the fence. A lot of money has been pumped into the so-called government quarantine facility but reports from anyone who has visited the different facilities indicate foul play. The facilities are in poor condition. Accommodation is guaranteed because “space” is in plenty. Kenyans in the facilities are forced to sleep on the floor, without any form of bedding. The food, don’t get me started. Wait for it, the poor services being rendered to them are not free. They have to dig deep into their pockets and pay after all quarantine is at an individual's cost. So it did not come as a surprise when the video of three men escaping from a quarantine facility made rounds on twitter. The men were basically looking out for themselves. This is not to praise their act but what does a poor man do when pushed to the wall?
Masks are now the order of the day. A fine of six thousand shillings is slapped to anyone who moves around without one. The government could care less about providing masks to its citizens. The Ministry of Health is too busy briefing us of new cases instead of ensuring that the remuneration that health workers receive suffices. The same people who put their lives on the line daily to cater to the countries ill population, receive the worst of salaries. When contacted, the ministry will respond by saying that they have no money. This is despite the fact that billions of shillings have been allocated to healthcare in the previous budget.
To whom much is given much is expected. A Red Cross senior called for an ambulance to pick his son and friends who had been partying way past the curfew. This is the same ambulance that is supposed to be ferrying patients who are in need of not only its speed but also the sirens. The kids, who hail from a premium package privilege went on social media to show off to other Kenyans their “ride”. With the number of social distancing campaigns and mortality rates due to COVID-19, you’d think that the message would have sunk into people. Clearly we don’t subscribe to that in this part of the world.
The COVID-19 cases have spiked to 285. The prayer is that this pandemic ends and we all go back to the new normal. Whatever that will look like.