This archive report was first published on 9 May 2020.
On May 6, the Government locked down Eastleigh and Mombasa's Old Town in Nairobi after the two areas continued to record significantly high coronavirus cases.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i has denied claims that the lockdown is discriminatory, saying it's aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19.
Speaking to leaders in Eastleigh, Matiang'i emphasized that residents of the area are Kenyans and taxpayers who deserve equal treatment like the rest of the population.
“No one should say that by closing Eastleigh we are being discriminative, that is not true. You are our brothers and sisters, you pay tax and employ our brothers,” Matiang'i said.
He added that the Government relies on taxes from businesses like those in Eastleigh to deliver services, and that the lockdown is necessary to prevent the spread of the virus.
“As a Government, we get our money to deliver services from taxing businesses like yours, so when you do not do business, the first entity that suffers is the Government because taxes reduce,” Matiang'i said.
Since the lockdown, businesses have come to a standstill in Eastleigh, affecting the livelihoods of thousands of residents who are traders.
The area is known for cheap edibles, textiles, and electronics that attract thousands of customers and business people from Nairobi and beyond.
On a related note, Matiang'i had earlier overseen the first State food donation initiative aimed at assisting the needy in informal settlements.
The donations included rice, beans, and flour, which were disseminated to 50 Nyumba Kumi cluster leaders in a brief ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.
The initiative also saw the Government issue 3,000 masks and over 30,000 litres of sanitizer to the targeted slum dwellers.
