This archive report was first published on 23 May 2020.
With over 340 confirmed cases and two deaths, Kenya's Covid-19 pandemic has reached a critical juncture. The government's response team, led by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i, has imposed a nationwide night curfew, closed learning institutions, and isolated hotspots for tougher restrictions.
However, the team's advisory on easing restrictions has been criticized for being too vague. The daily tally of cases, while useful, adds little value to millions of Kenyans whose lives have been upended.
As the country approaches the next review on June 6, Kenyans are desperate for a clear plan on when restrictions will start easing off and what the post-Covid-19 picture might look like.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe's recent comments suggest that Kibera may be heading for lockdown, which could make similar action probable against other congested areas of Nairobi and other towns.
But what the government may be missing is that it is not the people who are being hard-headed, but rather the testing that is becoming more aggressive. The virus was around before testing started and continues to infect where testing has not happened.
Dr. Patrick Amoth, Kenya's top medical health official, has projected that infections will peak at around 200 cases a day in August or September. This may mean that the restrictions we are seeing now will still be in place.
As Kenyans look to the future, they want to go on with life under the new normal, which is certainly not a lockdown whose end is seemingly not even being contemplated.
The writer is a former Chief Editor of the Nation Media Group and is now Managing Partner for Blue Crane Global.
