Kenyans should brace for a muted Madaraka Day celebration on June 1 due to the coronavirus (covid-19) outbreak, which has turned things upside down around the globe.
Madaraka Day is usually a bustling day of celebrations marked with pomp and color but circumstances across the counties promise to be far more subdued this year.
The government announced that this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations will be marked virtually in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
Members of the public were advised to remain at home and follow the celebrations through the electronic and social media.
The Kwale County Commissioner (CC), Karuku Ngumo who addressed the media outside his office said the national celebrations will be considerably more muted than in previous years.
The CC briefed the media on the covid-19 preventive strategy and economic recovery as the government ponders reopening the economy battered by coronavirus restrictions.
The Madaraka Day commemorates the day in 1963, when the country attained self-governance after decades as a British colony.
The administrator on Wednesday said the prevailing public health situation will not allow Kenyans to gather in open spaces to mark the day.
Ngumo however, said the lack of public gatherings did not mean that Kenyans will not be commemorating the national day.
“I urge the people of Kwale to remain indoors and honour the auspicious day from their homes and avoid large gatherings,” he said.
He went on, ‘my appeal is we limit large gatherings and physical contact to curtail community transmission of covid-19’.
He said in the countdown to the national celebrations, the Deputy County Commissioners and Assistant County Commissioners will be addressing the press on the eight point economic stimulus programme announced by the President Uhuru Kenyatta last week.
The President announced Sh.53.7 billion will be injected into the economy to stimulate growth and cushion families and companies in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
The economic stimulus programme will focus on infrastructure, manufacturing, education, healthcare, agriculture, trade and tourism sector.
Ngumo said 1,000 youth have been enlisted in the ongoing National Hygiene Programme dubbed Kaazi Mtaani in Kwale to cushion young people from the adverse effects of the covid-19 pandemic.
He also said the disabled in the county have received Sh.3.8 million, the elderly Sh.1.6 million and orphans and vulnerable children a further Sh.3.8 million through cash transfers as a social assistance response to covid-19.
By Hussein Abdullahi
