https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2021-03-29-karua-slams-uhuru-for-lockdown-without-reliefs/Narc Kenya has censured President Uhuru Kenyatta for imposing a new lockdown to combat a surge in Covid-19 cases without outlining measures to address consequent economic hardships.
Party leader Martha Karua noted that the second lockdown comes at a time when businesses were beginning to recover from restrictions imposed in March last year.
“We are greatly aggrieved that the Jubilee administration did not outline any measures to address these hardship realities as they announced the lockdown,” she said.
Karua said it was for this reason that Kenyans reacted with shock to the announcement of the second lockdown.
“The mere announcement of the lockdown signalled a new set of automatic job losses in many sectors that the lock down will directly and indirectly affect,” she said.
On Friday, Uhuru ordered the cessation of all movement into and out of the capital Nairobi and four other counties following a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases. Kenyans were prohibited from moving into and out of Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu and Nakuru counties.
The President also ordered a revision of curfew hours for the five counties from 8pm-4am. The rest of the country will continue to observe the 10pm to 4am timing. He also ordered the closure of schools and universities, with the exception of students undergoing examinations.
Addressing the press at party headquarters on Monday, Karua said the cost of living continues to rise, exacerbated by unjustifiable hike of fuel prices.
“Parts of the country are facing looming food crisis and there is a desperate lack of access to healthcare by many, against a backdrop of overworked and under protected health care workforce,” she stated.
Karua added that “a lockdown is not an end in itself, but rather meant to slow community transmission and enable a country to enhance its preparedness to respond to the pandemic.”
“This is what the first lock down should have achieved,” she pointed out.
Kenya Tourism Federation chairman Mohamed Hersi also weighed in on the matter and urged the government to relax some of the Covid-19 containment measures.
Hersi said several tourists had very little time to change travel plans when the measures were announced.
However, Kenya Medical Association president Andrew Were called for a complete lockdown.
He argued that countries that have been able to arrest the infection are those that went into total lockdown.
Karua said without plans and funding to procure adequate vaccines and improve our health services in all counties, the lockdown is but a haphazard measure that will only create more suffering to the vulnerable without any tangible benefit.
“Kenyans will recall that a majority of citizens zealously observed health protocols and that it is the top political players who led their supporters into mass rallies in total disregard of Covid-19 rules while campaigning for BBI and the just concluded by-elections,” she pointed out.
She added: “While almost all of the top political leaders are on government salary or stipend, the ordinary citizens are on their own to face the stark realities of the lockdown and shoulder the burden of its brutal economic consequences.”
Karua urged the government to immediately take up the costs of testing and treatment of Covid-19 in government health facilities countrywide.
“The government needs to intensify testing and vaccinations in the areas designated as Disease Infected Zones to ensure a return to normalcy at the earliest moment possible,” she added.
She further urged the government to urgently procure adequate vaccines to cover all those in need and eligible for the jabs and provide food subsidies and expanded transfers to the vulnerable.
“The government must fast-track investigations and prosecutions in the Covid-19 related corruption as way of building trust in the response process,” she said.
The Narc Kenya party leader further said the government needs to institute taxation measures to cushion citizens and businesses from the adverse economic effects of the lockdown.
“The government must consult with businesses and Kenyans on the way forward in order to bridge the gap between policy pronouncements and people’s needs,” she added.
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