A delicate balancing act for the President Kenyatta
President Uhuru Kenyatta is today expected to pronounce himself on the multi-pronged subject of re-opening the economy after the expiry of the timelines he set 30 days ago in relation to the scourge that is coronavirus disease.
As the country’s chief executive, Uhuru has the unenviable task to midwife Kenya through one of its most difficult moments since independence.
As Head of State, the move the President takes today must, of necessity, put the safety and interests of Kenyans first in the face of the challenging war against Covid-19.
It has been a tough three months for Uhuru and the people he leads. Indeed the President finds himself having to juggle between widening the valves of economic recovery and securing lives and livelihoods of his people. A very delicate balancing act.
But re-opening the economy is no child’s play; it comes with its own set of challenges. Which is why Uhuru’s decision will obviously be based on expert advice from the best of his counsellors on the matter.
However, the greatest threat to re-opening the economy remains the carefree attitude by a majority of Kenyans - most disturbingly though - led by top-notch political actors, in breaching the guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Government of Kenya.
The breaching of the set guidelines in the fight against coronavirus is an irritating phenomenon.
Whatever dose Uhuru prescribes to the nation today, flouting the stipulated guidelines will for long remain the weakest point in the national desire to flatten the Covid-19 curve.
Whereas more stringent measures may still need to be put in place to ensure compliance, the stark reality is that henceforth the fight against this global pandemic is going to be a matter of personal choice.
It is time Kenyans realised that insofar as the anti-corinavirus battle is concerned, their future and those they love lies in their individual hands.
The Government has done its bit, though it still has a huge role to play in ensuring that the Covid-19 situation does not get out of control.
However, the success in this war will only be realised if Kenyans themselves, in all their ages and shades, undertake personal responsibility without having to be policed, reminded, persuaded or coerced.
