Post-virus, nothing should stay the same

In his seventh address to the nation, President Uhuru Kenyatta hinted that his government was considering reopening the economy.

This will give citizens, thousands of whom have had their incomes affected negatively, some reprieve. And it’s not just Kenya; countries around the world are grappling with the difficult task of opening for business while keeping the coronavirus at bay.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe keeps reminding us that these are abnormal times; it is our hope as citizens that after the restrictions, we shall not go back to business as usual.

We do not want to go back to a Kenya that worked for a small minority only. This is the time for the government to improve its services.

For instance, health services are now considered essential services; we pray it remains so beyond this pandemic.

WORKERS’ NEEDS

Hospital care isn’t just for those who can afford it, and just as coronavirus treatment has been provided to all who are infected, we hope for the same with other diseases.

County hospitals have upgraded their ICU facilities to cope with the virus, devolving the need for residents to travel to expensive Nairobi County hospitals.

Personal protective equipment should also be the norm for healthcare workers and not a luxury that is only seen in times of crisis, and healthcare workers should certainly continue being treated humanely, unlike in the period before Covid-19, when their demands were always ignored.

The government can also take this time to mend the holes in the public education sector. Most schools in Kenya are overpopulated, understaffed and under-equipped.

This has put hundreds of thousands of students at a disadvantage, as they don’t get a quality education.

CONSTRUCTIVE POLITICS

This sector shouldn’t go back to business as usual; we should focus on all Kenyans getting an equal chance at education.

Public schools shouldn’t equal low grades as has been the norm. Another thing that we hope does not go back to normal is the politicking our leaders engage in.

Before the pandemic put a stop to their reggae, one would have thought that Kenya was in campaign season, what with all the rallies and promises being dished out.

Going forward, we wish to have a government that delivers the basics to its population, such as ensuring that everyone has access to water, food and good shelter.

We would hope that all those sideshows of who insulted who will be replaced with Kenyans’ taxes being used for their own good.

STATUS REPORTS

But a habit we wish that the government maintains post-Covid-19, is talking to us frequently.

It would be nice to have the various Cabinet secretaries giving us status reports every once in a while.

Our leaders talking to us shouldn’t be a factor of a virus or campaigns; our own welfare should be a reason enough to see them.

Opening the country is only a matter of when, not if, and when it happens, things shouldn’t go back normal. We want a new normal – a normal that works for all citizens, not just for a select, corrupt leaders.

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