Kenyans rendered jobless by the coronavirus pandemic sell different foodstuff along the Northern Bypass Road in Nairobi on May 18. Good policy advice could help the country mitigate the effects of economic downturns. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]KenyaThe private sector has also appealed to the president to not only lift the ban on movement out of counties like Mombasa, Kwale and Nairobi but alsoKenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry(KNCCI), the umbrella body for the private sector is asking president Uhuru Kenyatta to consider gradually re-opening the economy which has been crippled by the coronavirus pandemic.The move comes almost two months after President Kenyatta imposed a ban on movement in and out of Nairobi, a key economic hub in East Africa. For this reason, the attempt of containing the spread of Covid-19 and flattening the curve has been a futile effort even as the country records 127 new cases as of May 29.The private sector hopes to salvage the economic sector even as the entire fabric of our society continue capsizing in the brutal storm of Covid-19. According to KNCCI, the economy should be opened to be able to serve 83.6 per cent of Kenyans employed in the informal sector and who risk suffering from hunger if nothing is done.“The curfew and cessation of movement rules are temporary stop-gap measures to address the situation.

Source: Standard Digital May 29, 2020 13:52 UTC