COVID-19 is not over yet and it is clear that we remain in uncharted waters as to when there will be certain, accurate predictable parameters of the pandemic. The world, and Kenya have internalized the gravity, dire threat, and deaths caused by COVID-19 and the measures to prevent its spread.
But it is time to mount a fight back on the side effects of COVID-19. The economic ravages it has unleashed and are now pervasive, rampant and deepening.
The restrictions on movement by air, trains, buses, private cars from the Capital City to other parts of Kenya, and the limitations on diverse economic activities for now around two months has definitely taken a toll on our economic wellbeing as a nation, Counties, companies, families, individuals. It is time for the hard choices, options, programmes to be implemented, to herald restart of the economy.
Closing the economy due to COVID-19 was the easy part, it was like switching off a button. Restarting the economy is the hardest part. It will take months, even years to get our economy back to the pre-COVID-19 era. We therefore must be prepared for tough, unpalatable sacrifices right across from the National Government, County Governments, National Legislatures (Parliament and Senate) and County Assemblies and the Judiciary. Yes, and also at personal and family levels. We must cut out waste, excesses, corruption. We must focus the limited resources to activities that deliver maximum benefit to the majority of the citizens of this nation.
Elected leaders and public servants must cut to the bone their favourite pastimes of waste, excess in recurrent expenditure and share in the pain, deprivation the rest of the noble people of Kenya are going through due to financial distress of COVID-19.
The citizens must be and remain vigilant, hawk-eyed and be prepared to say no to wastage, excesses in public resources management as we all collectively struggle to reconstruct our shattered economy brought to its knees by COVID-19. The citizens must equally call the politicians to order to address and give urgent solutions to the economic problems facing them rather than engage in the theatrics of the 2022 General Elections.