CS Kagwe: The youth must join fight against coronavirus to save nation

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe at a past press briefing at Harambee House, Nairobi. He has cautioned the youth against taking the coronavirus lightly saying the disease can ravage the whole country. [File, Standard]

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has urged the youth to use their energy and their organisational prowess to help the country in the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking during the ministry's routine update on coronavirus, Kagwe told the youth to join the government in creating awareness among Kenyans on the need to obey the directives.

"I wish to appeal to the youth to become part of the solution by taking certain measures that will bolster the fight against the disease."

Kagwe also cautioned the youth against travelling to their rural villages, saying they will expose the elderly people to the virus and spread it.

He said global statistics indicate that the youth contract the disease, but recovers as compared to the elderly whose immunity are weak and easily succumb to the disease.

“Travelling upcountry means you are going home to kill your parents or grandparents,” Kagwe warned.

He said just like the youth have united and organised themselves into saccos and football teams in the past, it is high time they did the same to bolster the fight against coronavirus.

“The youth have organised themselves into matatu, tuktuk and boda boda saccos and managed them well, and should use the same energy in fighting the virus,” said Kagwe.

He said it is only the youth that can help the country win the war against coronavirus by uniting and joining the government in the fight.

He told the youth to organise sports teams and saccos into clean-up and campaign teams against the virus and ensure that personal hygiene and social distancing measures are adhered to.

Let the football teams and saccos organise themselves into clean-up teams and join security forces and health workers in fighting the disease.

He challenged the youth to seize the opportunity and fight the disease just like those who fought for our independence.

“God in his wisdom has decided let the youth come out and help us fight the disease just like others who fought for independence,” he said.

He warned the youth against taking the coronavirus lightly, saying they will be the most affected should the disease begin ravaging the country.

“If you don’t want to bury your parents in numbers we have to come out and fight the disease.”

The CS urged Kenyans to get join hands in the fight against the disease going forward to contain mass infection as was witnessed in Italy and the US.

“We are not saying it is going to be easy, but we must start getting tough as the tough gets going hence we need the youth to secure this country.”

Earlier, ODM leader Raila Odinga also urged the youth to use smartphones and social media to be the new soldiers and saviours in the fight against the coronavirus.

"To the youth of Kenya, this is your chance to be our country's new soldiers, new saviours. Use the advantages that technology has put in your hands to fight this deadly virus,” said Raila.

Kenya now has 126 coronavirus cases after four more people tested positive on Saturday.