This archive report was first published on 5 June 2020.
Kenya's Return to Normalcy Amid COVID-19 Pandemic ¶
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Nairobi's city centre is bustling with activity, with many residents ignoring health guidelines to go about their daily lives.
At the Khoja roundabout bus terminal, bodaboda riders are lining up in every exit, often with no face masks in sight. Only a handful of riders are seen wearing masks, with the rest preferring to wear them on their chins and beards.
Across the street, motorists are struggling to find parking space, with almost every slot taken up. Most shops are open, with the only difference being the permanent washing points at every entrance.
However, not everyone is adhering to the health guidelines. A guard at one of the buildings next to Roast House waves a tenant in with a smile, but asks visitors to wash their hands. When questioned about his selective duties, the guard explains that the tenant in front of him works there and has just returned, having left only minutes ago.
"That is why he doesn't have to clean his hands," the guard says.
As the city centre returns to normal, many ordinary Kenyans are coming to terms with the reality of living with COVID-19. With worldwide deaths hitting 348,000 this week and no vaccine in sight, many countries are realising that the disease will linger around for longer than previously anticipated.
Hotels, such as Ole Sereni, are introducing social distancing measures, including conferences with seats two metres apart in all directions. "Life imposes things on you that you cannot control, but you still have the choice of how to live through this," the hotel tweeted.
Barber shops and salons are also adapting to the new normal, with many owners reducing the number of customers they allow in at a time and enhancing hygiene practices.
Ms Eunice Sarlo, the owner of a salon in Nyayo estate, Embakasi, says she leaves work as early as 4pm, compared to her usual 11pm closing time before the pandemic. "I used to open my shop at 6am and was busy until 11pm. I now get just two or three customers a day. There are other days that I don't even work," she says.
As the government eases lockdown restrictions, businesses are having to come to terms with how they will operate in the "new normal". Kenya, especially, has not seen the worst of the coronavirus, with the government projecting that the pandemic could reach its peak in September.
