This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
On May 6, 2020, the Kenyan government declared a two-week lockdown in Eastleigh and Mombasa Old Town, two areas identified as COVID-19 hotspots. The move aims to contain the spread of the virus, which has claimed 24 lives in the country.
However, the lockdown has left many residents struggling to access food and essential supplies. In Eastleigh, a father of ten, Mohammed Haji, expressed his concerns about how he would feed his family during the lockdown. 'It is during Ramadhan, we will need food to break the fast, how will I feed my family?' he asked.
Despite the government's efforts to contain the spread of the virus, many residents in Eastleigh and Mombasa Old Town are defying social distancing orders. Wanjiku Muchoki, a resident of Eastleigh's 1st Avenue, lamented the lack of awareness about the virus among the community. 'People are ignorant. It is like they don't know there is corona,' she said.
Abdul-Aziz Mukhtar, a truck driver and resident of Eastleigh, welcomed the government's decision to impose the lockdown. 'Corona does not respect gender or age, we should all respect the government orders so that we can defeat this disease,' he said.
However, the lockdown has also led to clashes between traders and security forces in Mombasa. Traders at the Mackinnon Market protested the closure of the market, with Mohammed Ali, the Chairperson of traders, saying, 'We should have been given enough time to stock our homes. Where do we get food if they close down market? The government should know that we are also in the Holy Month of Ramadhan where we fast and we need food in the evenings.'
