How Kenya is lifting lockdown and getting back to business.
Green shoots.
There is a sense of reawakening in Nairobi this week. The level of traffic in the city is creeping back to normal levels. Yesterday I managed a ‘dine-in’ coffee at one of the city’s chains, albeit solo and wearing a mask.
Restaurants can re-open as long as staff undergo bi-weekly Coronavirus testing, the number of diners is limited and tables are set more than 1.5 meters apart. Restaurants must undergo a (now free) Government inspection prior to re-opening and the cost of Covid-19 tests for businesses was reduced from $40 to $10 per person, thanks to a government subsidy announced earlier this month.
Following government directives, supermarkets, malls and ‘essential’ stores moved early to install hand washing stations (often comprising of refillable water containers with tap and soap). Hand sanitiser is offered at the entrance to larger stores, along with manned temperature checks. Most supermarkets deploy staff to wipe down your shopping trolley or basket on entry. Now hand washing or sanitising on arriving at any store or mall is a familiar ritual. In fact, from late March, Carrefour supermarket were the first to request shoppers wear surgical gloves provided by the store. Plexiglas screens were installed at their check-out desks, all staff wore masks compulsorily, with bag packing assistants also provided with face shields. During peak hours, the store restricts numbers of shoppers by employing a queuing system, however, when in the store, it’s often hard to resist the temptation to reach over someone to grab the product you want from the shelf.
Non-essential stores were never asked to close in Kenya, though many outlets, such as gift shops, opted to shut their doors for the duration. Hairdressers and beauticians have remained open, now on the provision that all staff wear mask and gloves.
On the street, you will see everyone wearing a mask, though often slung under the chin while walking in the fresh air. Paper, medical style masks are more comfortable than cotton ones and are widely available, though at a cost of around $1 each they are costly and so commonly recycled. Most wear locally made cotton versions. Plain jersey cotton fabric is proving popular.
With a fourth extension applied, social distancing through measures such as restricted movement and curfews are still in place until 6 June, with the country’s borders also tightly monitored. Two hot-spots; Eastleigh in Nairobi and Old Town, Mombasa were strictly locked down for 14 days from 6 May with no street hawking or gatherings allowed, plus all malls and eateries closed. After increased incidences of truck drivers from neighbouring countries testing positive for Covid-19, on May 16, Kenya closed borders with Somalia and Tanzania to stem cross-border infections. Containment of counties including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi and Mandera continue but it is possible to apply for a permit to travel.
From May 18, neighbouring Tanzania announced plans for the re-opening of businesses and schools as well as international airspace, citing low number of cases. ( The East African) However it is worth noting that Tanzania has not officially reported their number of cases since 29 April. Airspace in Kenya remains closed until at least 5 June.
There is reason to hope for a more full reopening of the economy in Kenya. Last weekend, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a Ksh 53.7 billion post-pandemic recovery stimulus programme (23 May) following the IMF approved a loan of US$739 million to support Kenya’s response to the pandemic on May 6.
The overall feeling is that the Kenya Government has handled the crisis with competence and a level head but with only 52 formally recorded deaths from Coronavirus nationally and lives still at risk due to threatened livelihoods and hunger, it is time to get back to business.
*As at 26 May in Kenya Nationwide, a total of 64,264 tests have been conducted so far, with 2,293 done in the last 24 hours.
Originally published at http://africaexpatwivesclub.wordpress.com on May 27, 2020.
