Good morning,
Today we start a new week amid uncertainty over the Covid-19 outbreak that seems to be just getting worse if the new two cases announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta are anything to go by.
The government is evidently trying to make policies and issue directives to curb further spread of the virus, albeit in a seemingly panicky manner that has not escaped critics’ reproval.
A disease that was first reported in Wuhan, China, was falsely imagined to not affect black Africans after showing a sluggish spread across the continent. This also led to some scientists questioning whether we had special genes that could resist the virus.
Well, now that it’s finally here, one can evidently notice the fright among Kenyans, whether overreacting on shopping or even hoarding of some products in order to hike prices. It’s undoubtedly not a laughing matter anymore. It was a matter of ‘when‘ and not ‘if‘ as CS Mutahi Kagwe asserted a few weeks ago.
However, amidst all this doom and gloom, the resilience of a people is expected to prevail if we are to win this ‘war’. A country that has been recently divided by succession politics is now united over a common enemy. It is prudent for everyone to realise that to avoid contracting the disease, you need the other person to observe the laid down measures too.
We watched and read the news in awe about foreign countries being affected by the virus. Regardless of the fake news being spread around, it is time to arise and fight the virus by all means, or else we will be in a total lockdown within a matter of time.
Here are the stories making headlines this morning:
Why Closing Schools Over Coronavirus Maybe a Huge Blunder
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday announced the suspension of learning in all institutions and ordered all schools to close with immediate effect.
While addressing Kenyans after two more cases of the dreaded virus were confirmed in the country, Uhuru said all primary and secondary schools should be closed by Wednesday while universities and colleges have until Friday to send their children home.
But is sending children home the best way to minimise the spread of the virus?
The Corona Shutdown: Uhuru Announces New Measures
Life yesterday began shutting down literally in Kenya as the government moved in to tame the spread of coronavirus following the confirmation of two more cases.
This now means Kenya has three cases of the highly contagious disease that is threatening to bring the world economy to its knees. The first case was reported on Friday from a 27-year-old patient who had travelled into the country from the US via London.
Informing the country of the new cases, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the two tested positive as a result of coming into contact with the first patient.
KRA Takes Over City Parking From Today
Nairobi residents are set to pay parking fees and other levies to the taxman starting Monday morning after City Hall handed over key functions to the national government.
The Kenya Revenue Authority has taken over the mandate of collecting all levies and taxes paid to City Hall for a two-year period up to March 16, 2022.
Last evening, DCI detectives arrested 23-year-old Elijah Muthui Kitonyo for sharing misleading information about coronavirus. In a tweet, Kitonyo alleged that he worked at the JKIA and that he knew patient zero who was the first case of coronavirus in the country. He, however, pulled down the post and confessed that he did not know the said patient. This is just one case of how some people are taking advantage of the panic and the government’s miscommunication to spread fake news. Do you think the state can effectively fill the void and update Kenyans regularly to avoid unnecessary and misinformed speculation?