This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
Published on May 6, 2020, by Charles Onyango-Obbo, a journalist and writer, this article highlights the resilience of people in Africa in the face of adversity.
On a recent visit to Ruaka, Limuru Road, Onyango-Obbo witnessed a massive jam, reminiscent of the post-election violence in 2008. The people, however, were not deterred, and the streets were crowded with hawkers and shoppers.
As he noted, 'the lottery of being infected by the virus is a far more attractive option than the certainty of starving to death if they don’t get out to eke out a living.'
Onyango-Obbo drew parallels with his experiences in northern Uganda during the rebellion in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He recalled a young attendant who set up a shop in a desolate area, selling goods to both sides of the conflict.
He also shared a story from Yemen, where an underground church for East Africans operated on Sundays, despite the restrictions and violence in the capital, Sana'a.
Onyango-Obbo argued that in many African countries, there is a vast space that is not governed by the State, and survival takes two forms: innovating solutions and daring and courage.
He concluded that trying to beat the coronavirus is not a health issue, but a class privilege, and that many people in Africa are willing to take risks to survive.
