KENYA RULES OUT LOCKDOWN AS QUARANTINE ESCAPEES PUT ON NOTICE

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 said those who recently escaped quarantine at Kenya Medical and teaching College (KMTC) will be traced, arrested and forced to complete the mandatory isolation period.

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