Hope for traders as Kenyan president lifts lockdown

Lucy Nyambura, a trader who sells her wares to travelers plying the Nairobi-Western Kenya route, had to close her business after a travel ban out of Nairobi was declared one month ago. However, after Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's president, lifted the cessation of movement in the counties most affected by COVID-19 -- Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kajiado and Machakos -- business has picked up for Nyambura.

Despite the rise in cases, Nyambura says that the restrictions worsened her situation as a trader. Since her business depends on travelers, the restriction of movement meant that she could not get any customers.

"I have been selling groceries along this highway for 15 years but I have never seen tough times as this. Being a single mother of four, my whole family depends on me but once the restrictions were put in place, I could not fend for my children," Nyambura said.

On May 2, Kenyatta announced that curbs on travel in Kenya's capital Nairobi and four surrounding counties would be lifted and schools will be allowed to reopen. In addition, religious services will resume with some restrictions but political gatherings would still be banned. An evening curfew that started at 8 pm has been revised to 10 pm.

Nyambura says that though schools are bound to open on May 10, the fact that she had to close her business means that she has a challenge sending her children back to school.

"My eldest daughter is supposed to sit her secondary school exams this year but I am afraid that I might not have enough money to send her back to school. I had to start doing manual labor like working on people's farms to supplement my income after the travel restrictions were introduced," Nyambura said.

According to her, the first restriction of movement introduced in May last year dented her business but the latest restrictions were the most felt because her business was already struggling.

"I am hoping the government can ensure people get vaccines in large numbers so that life can get back to normal. I depend on travelers for my business and if restriction of movement is introduced again I do not think my business will survive," Nyambura said.

Cases in Kenya, the richest country in East Africa, have fallen from last month's peak but it is still among the top five nations in Africa reporting new infections and deaths, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kenyatta stressed that the decision to ease these measures was arrived at because the COVID-19 cases had significantly reduced. After one month of lockdown, the COVID-19 caseload within the zoned areas came down by 72 percent, according to the president.

However, he warned he will not hesitate to bring back the measures especially if the number of positive COVID-19 cases increases. Kenyatta also allowed the resumption of in-person and congregational worship but in strict fidelity to the guidelines issued by the Inter-Faith Council and Ministry of Health In Kenya.