This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, Kenya's President Kenyatta formed a 21-member task force on February 28 to coordinate the country's preparedness, prevention, and response to the new coronavirus disease.
However, the team's efforts have been hindered by some Cabinet secretaries who have failed to deliver on their mandate, exacerbating the pandemic's effects.
According to Maxwell Masava, a communication specialist, the public enemies slowing the Covid-19 war are not only those flouting containment measures but also economic saboteurs who don't implement government directives.
Many Kenyans want the President to reorganize his Cabinet, which doesn't seem to fully support his agenda, and replace it with a people-centred team.
These key appointments should be given to serious individuals to inspire hope and spur development, and the reshuffle must be done in a way that gives community leaders, sectoral stakeholders, and even political parties a chance to recommend who to appoint.
By doing so, the President and his government can gain countrywide presence and visibility, and the stage will be set for the formation of a government of national unity.
It's time for the President to rid his house of officials who add little or no value to his national agenda, and replace them with credible men and women focused on delivering their public mandate.
Kenya faces unprecedented challenges from Covid-19, and the strain on the government is extreme, but the crisis can only be solved through partnerships and bold actions by political leaders.
Flattening the coronavirus curve requires twin efforts: Reducing the spread of infections and boosting capacities of healthcare systems, and the government has taken the first step courageously, imposing curfews and lockdowns.
However, the second requires not just focus on curative, facilities-based health delivery, but primary healthcare capacity at the community level.
Kenya has some of the most pampered politicians, who are technically accountable to the people but, in reality, to no one, and serving his last term, the President needs civil servants and political leaders who will put aside politics and self-interest and serve Kenyans.
