This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
As the country struggles to contain the spread of COVID-19, President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to address the nation on July 6 regarding the reopening of the economy. Speaking during a virtual meeting hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa Leaders Forum on June 26, the President hinted at a possible reopening of the country, starting with domestic flights.
“We are going to be starting the domestic flights and this is what we will use as a trial in the next couple of days. We are opening the intercounty lockdown and ultimately that will set the pace for us to open to international flights,” said the President.
The President emphasized the need for safety measures, stating, “It is necessary to put safety measures because opening up too quickly has its downside as we have seen across the world.” He added, “We are very eager to open up but at the same time, we are eager to ensure we remain safe and save lives. We are doing everything we can to ensure we get our planes back in the sky.”
Kenya Airways, the national airline, is struggling to remain afloat due to the pandemic. In an earlier address, the CEO, Allan Kilavuka, stated that the airline has lost about Sh10 billion in revenue since January and predicts further losses of up to Sh50 billion by December if the pandemic persists.
According to health experts, June has seen a higher surge in positive cases, which they describe as an exponential stage that may overwhelm the health system. The current restrictions include cessation of movement in to and out of Nairobi and Mombasa, as well as a nationwide dusk to dawn curfew.
The lockdown, which was extended on June 6, 2020, for a further 30 days, elapses on July 6, 2020. The President has stated that the re-opening of the country will be dependent on the level of preparedness across the counties in response to coronavirus infections. So far, 41 counties have reported cases of coronavirus infection, bringing the total to 6,190 Covid-19 infections.
