By NERIMA WAKO-OJIWA

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Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has moved to instill a sense of security and trust during this coronavirus pandemic period.

However, his announcements sometimes end with a bit of confusion on what Kenyans really want to hear.

One of his press conferences was two hours late, only for him to announce the launch of Google Loon 4G network balloons in the country for wider Internet connection during this difficult time.

Two weeks ago, President Kenyatta announced all Kenyan artists, actors and musicians will be earning $100 million every month during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic so that they may continue to entertain Kenyans through TV, radio and the Internet.

One may ask: Is this because we need more entertainment than food? We can only watch videos of Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in envy.

President Akufo-Addo has announced that Ghana has obtained a $500 million freeze in debt and interest repayment for the rest of this year from the World Bank.

Additionally, the Ghanaian president said, $1 billion Rapid Credit Facility, secured from the International Monetary Fund, without any pre-condition, and approved by Parliament, would be used to help close the financial gap created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Domestic violence is on the rise all over the world during this time. And we have seen the government announce a hotline for those who may be in danger. It will only continue to increase as times become more difficult, and basic commodities become expensive or difficult to come by.

There has also been a surge in police brutality especially in informal settlements.

Recently, youth in Mathare, Nairobi county, were wiped for not wearing face masks. There is no talk of where one can get a free mask provided by the government.

At a time when a national curfew is being enforced, there has been confusion on who is an essential worker?

There have been reports of pleas from workers exempted from curfew rules being ignored by police. One would ask, why police are brutal during this time?

But I ask, why not? We already deploy police in the education sector. Standard 8 examinations are manned by armed police, and still pupils still risk cheating. That is the environment we are raised in—nothing is to be obeyed unless the police are present.

In a period when salaries have been cut and jobs lost, buying data bundles with a minuscule salary is not a priority. On everyone’s mind is how to feed their families. Online classes are a fairy tale for most families.

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa, executive director, Siasa Place @NerimaW