[SIZE=5]“What will happen after coronavirus? Where will we get food? Where have we stored food?”[/SIZE]
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Cotu secretary general has asked politicians and officials to stop dramatising coronavirus.
Over 9000 people have been killed and thousands infected globally. In Kenya, we have received seven confirmed cases with zero fatalities.
“Our people who are involved in small and medium enterprises are the people who are hardest hit because their businesses stem from kiosks to juakali and this is where our huge economy is,” he said.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Atwoli said when somebody talks about shutting down economy he does not know what he is talking about.
This was after Kongowea market, the largest in Mombasa, was closed in stringent measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
The shutdown of the wholesale section will be done over the next two days and the facility will remained closed for at least 30 days.
“If you want to compare Africa with other nations, you will be making a very big mistake. Kenya requires people to supplement their efforts. We need to produce more for export and local consumption,” Atwoli said.
“I hear in Laikipia they have been told to shut down the firms. What will happen after coronavirus? Where will we get food? Where have we stored food?”
Atwoli said Kenya has no money for researchers,books for students and yet we still had time to shut down firms.
“We live as if we live in slums and we want to tell people to shut down the economy? That cannot work,” he said.
“We should not dramatise coronavirus. People will die of hunger than coronavirus.”
He appealed to those who are in position to use their influence to stop dramatising the issue.
“We can manage it and we should not be scared. An African is not scared about death. In funerals, we are told that we should stay away from gatherings. As an African, i will walk there and bury him and wait for my time. nobody should scare us,” he said.
Atwoli said Kenyans should not become alarmist and instead encourage people to go about their work and take precautions.
“We don’t want alarmists, we have a nation to keep, GDP to grow. We will overcome coronavirus. As we take precaution, let us understand that we are Africans. We must toil to get food,” he said.
“Even my fellow Christians… Why are you instilling fear? Instill hope!” he said.
The coronavirus has so far killed 9000 people and infected thousands. Kenya has reported seven confirmed cases.
The most common symptom of infection with the coronavirus is a fever — about 90 per cent of patients suffer from it, according to the World Health Organization.
The temperature elevation that is considered “abnormal” depends on the age of a person and the site where the temperature is measured.