Leaders urge President Uhuru to impose total lockdown

A section of Kenyan politicians have urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to lockdown the country to curb the spread of coronavirus, others have however argued that a lockdown without a proper plan, could be a terrible idea.

Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo said that although a lockdown could be a vital move by the government,  the state should first consider the 80 per cent of Kenyans who live from hand to mouth.

“My take on the lockdown in the country is that the government should be able to impose a lockdown only if it is able to cater for the 80 per cent because a lockdown is not only necessary it is vital,"

"My suggestion is that we recall Members of Parliament so that they can enact a lockdown bill that allows all landlords to waive rent for the next three months,” he said.

Kabogo also urged employees to pay their staff.

“I am saying that they should be allowed to spend tax at source, desperate times call for desperate measures. Because if you send people on lockdown without a solution, they then will come out of their homes and they will go to homes where they think there is food, and this will end up in chaos,” he added.

Nairobi lawyer Donald Kipkorir has however echoed Kabogo’s sentiments on a lockdown via his twitter account saying Kenyans will starve if the lockdown is enforced.

“To lock down Kenya will be the most FOOLISH DECISION & will unravel Kenya. 80 per cent of Kenyans live from day to day & lockdown means that they will either starve to death or eat their healthy neighbours! Countries that have gone on lockdown are RICH. Kenya is Poor & Corrupt,” tweeted Kipkorir.

on Monday Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho asked Uhuru to declare a total lockdown in the country to stop the spread of the virus.

Joho said Kenya should learn from Wuhan, China where shutdown of day-to-day activities proved effective in containing the spread of the pandemic.

On Tuesday, Kenya confirmed nine new cases of coronavirus that brought the total cases to twenty-five.

So far 428,217 cases have been reported worldwide and 19,101 deaths.