By
Roselyn Obala, NAIROBI Kenya
President
of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta (pictured)
has indicated that he is reluctant to order a total lock-down even as he
faulted Kenyans over what he termed as ‘deliberately taking lightly the
threat of Covid-19".
He was also
categorical that he is not interested in getting into the public feud between
China and the United State on the origin of Covid-19 but was more interested in
working with nations that will help Kenya overcome the disease and the economic
recovery.
Likewise, Kenyatta
said his administration is dealing on a case to case basis to repatriate
Kenyans stuck Kenyans United Kingdom (UK), South Sudan, Dubai, India, China and
other nation despite the Airlines' lockdown.
The Head of State
also disclosed that beginning this weekend, his administration will embark on
targeted mass testing of over 2,000 people a day in estates that have
registered high numbers of infection and those in the frontline.
He admitted that the
economy had suffered a major blow especially sectors like tourism, agriculture,
hotel industry, education, industries among others, that's why he announced the
reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) from 16 per cent to 14 per cent.
Addressing a myriad
of issues in the wake of the coronavirus effects, the Head of State expressed
his fear that a lockdown would lead to a hunger crisis in the country.
Even as he ruled out
the lockdown route, he regretted to note that Kenyans' lack of seriousness
regarding Covid-19 has turned out to be his administration’s biggest test in
the fight against the pandemic.
"We did not
want to lock down the whole country, and we allowed those that can go to work
to do so, but follow the guidelines laid out. We are still working to ensure
that other services like farming and food production go on," he said.
“I am saddened that
there are those who have declined to adhere to the guidelines including
quarantine to enable us to defeat this virus in the shortest time possible and
embark on the economy’s recovery.”
In reference to his
Big Four Agenda on food security, Mr Kenyatta disclosed that he is opposed to
the lockdown because he wants to allow farmers to grow their produce and get
inputs like fertilizer to cushion against hunger.
“We have not
abandoned this agenda, we want to ensure the availability of the market chain
and production. Will continue to buy maize and other food produce from farmers
and allow them to farm maize, rice, cotton among others during this difficult
time,” he stated. The Standard
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