Put Kenya under lock down, Peter Kenneth, Eseli implore Uhuru
Former presidential candidate Peter Kenneth has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to lock down the country for a period of two to four weeks and save Kenyans from coronavirus.
“From what I have read and seen you can only address this disease by total suppression. If we do not suppress it by confining each person to households, we will not be able to fight this virus,” said Kenneth.
His sentiments were echoed by Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu who called on President Kenyatta to place the country on lockdown so as to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The lawmaker spoke on Tuesday during an interview on NTV’s AM Live show. “We have no choice,” explained Eseli, who also is a medical doctor.
“We have to lockdown. We (Kenya) are a poor country and as the situation is at the moment cannot afford to trace all these cases.”
He also suggested that the military should be drafted in to assist in curbing the pandemic. “Let the military be brought in to handle this thing. Let them remind us to wash our hands if that’s what is going to help us.”
Five testing centres
“We only have I think three or five testing centres and yet we are a country of 50 million people. The government through the army will then have to get the strategic food reserves and feed our people.”
For his part, Kenneth insisted that the safety of Kenyans is very important at this crucial time and it can only be achieved through a total lockdown.
He applauded Cabinet Secretary for Health Mutahi Kagwe and all the government officials who have been on the forefront during this period of Covid-19.
He, however, said some government officials have not done their required part in curbing the spread of Covid-19.
He called out Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi for putting the lives of others at risk by failing to self-quarantine after returning from a trip to Germany.
Saburi is among 16 other people in Kenyans who have tested positive for Covid-19.
Kagwe on Sunday said anyone who fails to self-quarantine in line with state directives will be punished. He said senior government officials will not be spared.
Kenneth also said the public transport and market places have largely failed to follow the protocol and government directive.
“If you go to the streets, go to the market, you look at PSV vehicles you can see for yourself that protocol is not been followed. This in its self is the biggest danger to our population in two to three weeks when the incubation of the virus begins to blow up,” said Kenneth.
In the lockdown period, Kenneth wants the government to take care of the vulnerable Kenyans as many live hand-to-mouth normally.
“We can discuss, all those countries that have suffered a serious economic downturn from the virus have first addressed the safety of their population and the economy has come secondary,” Kenneth said.