This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
Kenya's economic lockdown, which has been in place since June 6th, has been extended multiple times due to concerns over county preparedness to respond to Covid-19 infections. However, almost a month after President Uhuru Kenyatta's statement, the Governors are now advocating for a gradual reopening of the economy.
According to Wycliffe Oparanya, the Council of Governors chairperson, the 47 counties have put in place sufficient safety measures to manage and slow down the spread of Covid-19, warranting the reopening of the economy. Mr. Oparanya made this statement on Tuesday, advising President Uhuru Kenyatta to gradually open the economy while continuing to enforce measures and protocols aimed at combating the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr. Oparanya highlighted the efforts made by the counties in preparing for the pandemic, including training a total of 16,914 health personnel on Covid-19 management and 59,449 community health volunteers. He also noted that 36 counties have a cumulative sum of 343 ICU beds, while 28 counties have a total of 337 ventilators.
President Kenyatta extended the lockdown on June 6th, citing the level of preparedness by counties to respond to Covid-19 infections. In a virtual meeting with the Governors on June 25th, President Kenyatta stated that county readiness to respond to new imported cases of infection would largely determine the nation's readiness to reopen.
Despite the progress made by the counties, there is still a significant gap in meeting the national target of 30,500 isolation beds. Every sector of the Kenyan economy has been hard hit and has been calling for the ease of the measures the President has put in place. President Kenyatta will review the restrictions on Monday.
