For almost three months now, the outbreak of a strange disease has redefined the way we relate, interact and do business.
Coronavirus, otherwise known as Covid-19 – has proved so disruptive to the human nature that its mere mention conjures up very surreal moments. It’s a pandemic that restricts one to his her own country or locality despite their social, political or economic status.
Contrary to what obtains when the rich ail, this case defies the normal practice of seeking superior medical attention elsewhere. That, though, is beside the point. When it first surfaced, the story was treated as a China issue. Even the rich countries in Europe where it has now wreaked havoc didn’t think much about it despite the World Health Organization’s early alarm bells.
Thanks to a connected global village, the virus has made its way across continents, spreading like a bushfire. In Kenya, there were blame games on who is not acting right or who led the virus into our borders. The government is acting on the matter with the deserving speed and seriousness.
For a while, our clock and dagger political machinations will be put on ice as the state rallies the people and its levers to the mission ahead. The government has in the wake of the disease announced a raft of measures aimed at curbing further spread. Containment is key in such a scenario.
There were proposals that we deepen cashless transactions leveraging on the Kenyan place in ICT, but such attempts on our public transport, for example, met stiff resistance from conniving and corrupt traffic police, drivers and conductors. We have been advised to use water with soap and sanitize our hands. Let us all heed these directives to be safe from the virus.
Economic and political analyst
