Yatani asks businesses to develop strategies to cope with Covid-19 reality
Lewis Njoka @LewisNjoka
Kenya must develop strategies to cope with Covid-19 shocks which have caused unprecedented health challenges as the virus turns into an economic hazard, Treasury Cabinet secretary Ukur Yatani has said.
This comes less than a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta hinted at relaxing the current Covid-19 containment measures put in place two months ago saying the country could not remain in a lockdown forever.
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Speaking during an interview with a local radio station yesterday, Yatani said many Kenyans have already devised ways to cope with the pandemic with online meetings, hitherto a rare occurrence, now a new normal.
“You now only need to send an SMS or make a call and your supermarket or hotel will deliver to your home. Recently we conducted a study where we found that 67 per cent college graduates have gone digital,” he added.
Reduced incomes
He, however, noted that the pandemic has affected virtually all businesses negatively resulting in reduced incomes for individuals.
“This means earnings from our industries have reduced and many people have lost their jobs. Their purchasing power has diminished as they do not have jobs,” said Yatani.
On May 13, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the virus may never go away and called on people to learn to live with it.
“This virus may never go away. I think there are no promises in this and there are no dates,” said World Health Organisation emergencies chief Michael Ryan.
