Why Kenyan Politicians and Corona maybe like the same thing as the country faces lock-down -Experts

BBI Rally in Mombasa where people were ferried from as far as Lamu. 

Politicians in Kenya can distribute Sh 500 or Sh 1000 during campaigns for them to be elected. They can print T-Shirts, caps, banners, feed multitude and even manage their electorates transport by hiring buses, matatus and even Bodaboda. 

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During BBI rally in Meru, politicians ferried people from as far as Limuru, Nairobi, Machakos and even Makueni and Kajiado to fill Kinoru stadium. Mombasa BBI rally was the same. People ferried from Lamu, Tana River and Taita Taveta to fill Mama Ngina Drive(Mombasa waterfront).

" I know Kenyans have more examples of what a Kenyan politician can do during elections., "

At the Rural, people have no money to buy a soap that will be used to clean hands often and last for a week. Rural soaps last months because of the conditions. Most Rural areas fetch water at a distance. Some more than 10 KM. 

More than half of the people living in urban areas work on hand to mouth bases. Some are also being relied upon at their homes in their respective rural areas. 

Corruption in Kenya needs its stake in the fight against coronavirus. Some Government officials may be benefitting from this disaster. A time will come where audit will be done and millions will have found it way too to personal accounts in the name of fighting Coronavirus. 

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The two scenes of a typical Kenyan politician and the economy of the majority of Kenyans draw the line of how the Coronavirus can or will be fought.

As Coronavirus forces people who came into contact quarantine, it is the same way Politicians have quarantined against their electorates after 2017 general election contacts. 

Failures

Politicians have failed even distributing hand sanitizers and masks to their electorates. The same politicians who can distribute sh 500 or sh 1000 to more than 60 per cent of his voters have failed to do the same in the time of need.

As Government says, Kenyans will pay taxes, pay their utilities(water, electricity etc), VAT among others, its the same way Kenyans will go out to look for food and pay rent, pay utilities among other things. 

Lockdown looming

Lockdown is good but with a sense of being human. It needs a plan. As I witnessed in my rural home, the relief food distributed to people also land in the hands of a few officials. The residents only receive less than 5 Kgs of maize per home, not per person. (Mostly measured using tin/container -Toss. at most two 2-5 tins). 

Who will enforce the lockdown? The Police, right? The Police are in top position in corruption. It comes just a day after a friend of mine was heading to the supermarket to buy sanitizer and was arrested. He was arrested, alleged for being idle, roaming around during Coronavirus period and he was released after paying Ksh 2000.

There are two types of deaths in this Virus. The Majority of Kenyans will either die of coronavirus or die of hunger in the case of a lockdown.

" It's easier said than done, in total lockdown, I assure you Wanjiru will die of hunger before corona kills us. Try and be practical, Kenyans live from hand to mouth and food from reserves will not reach the needy the same way money doesn't, " Kenyan posted on twitter. 

Quick Solutions

The Government should consider closing its borders completely. That is after defying Kenyans after the Ali Gire case at JKIA. Its time for the government to redeem itself. County Governments to close their borders internal as well.

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Both the National and County government to suspend all undergoing projects and focus on Coronavirus. Let both Government employees who get hefty salaries from Ksh 100,000 and above slash by half to serve Kenyans. 

Let the government train more medics even those in the Private sector dispatched to the ground and test everybody incases of lockdown, then retest after 14 days.

Let KDF, KWS, GSU and NYS distribute basic needs if available to the allocated and respective jurisdiction. Let administrative officers remain with maintaining law and order. 

KDF Lorry heading for a mission

Let the government forgone taxes for at least three months and borrow Kenyans money from the local banks if it has insufficient.

Let Politicians help. Let them get trained people who can distribute "handouts" to the vulnerable. Mobile money can be used as well as moving to people with sanitizers. If there is no politician can do that then none should be re-elected.

There are Biometric BVR Kits. These should be now used to determine who has received the basic needs from the government through biometric identification to avoid local cartels. Huduma Number where the majority were registered, Immigration data, Health, Census data, birth registrar among other offices have plenty of data. This data can be synchronised in conjunction with the ICT ministry to propagate the fight against double basic needs issuance.

Police have machinery that was used during elections to disperse protesters. Those tanks should not only be used during elections but also could be used to sprinkle disinfectant in the streets in the major towns than using manual methods.  That Humanresource could help in other necessary activities which now lack human resource.

China built hospitals within days, Kenya cannot but can use the facilities available.  

The Government should, however, look for more quarantine facilities including Public institutions like Universities. The main reasons why Italy is out of hand on the fight against coronavirus is insufficient health facilities against the increased number. If a hospital has 2000 beds capacity and 10,000 people test positive of COVID-19 where will the rest 8,000 people go?