As the Government remains steadfast in the fight against the spread of coronavirus disease, some youthful women in Kiambu are up in arms against wearing masks, saying the COVID 19 protective measure hid their beauty from prospective suitors.
“When will this coronavirus be eradicated in this country? These masks are hiding our beauty and whenever we come across a handsome man, he cannot be attracted to us because he will not see the smile on our faces,” one of them Annita Muthoni told KNA at her cyber café in Indian Bazaar in Kiambu Town.
Muthoni said she had not attracted any male friend for the past two months adding, “Since the advent of wearing masks, guys who interact with me have not made any advances meaning that they do not see the smile on my face to be attracted to me. Previously I would not walk for more than 30 minutes especially during rush hours without a man winking at me or signaling me to stop for a chat.” she complained.
On the other hand, Florence Njeri said the masks have continued to cause them untold suffering. “When I wear a mask, it ends up wiping out all my make-up including my lipstick, thus rendering me to look like a man. I am also compelled to change the mask in the course of the day when it gets soiled which ends up being quite expensive,” she asserted.
She prayed that a vaccine for the disease be found soonest possible so that items like masks can be ridden off particularly for the benefit of girls ‘hunting’ for the elusive Mr. Right.
“I wish there was a substitute for masks, for instance, a form of cream to apply to protect the nose and mouth. Otherwise, by the time corona will be contained, Njeri regrets, it will have done us, young women, a greater harm.
A spot-check by KNA in selected beauty shops along Biashara street in Kiambu township revealed that most of them are experiencing low sales as a majority of women have kept off the make-ups.
Marion Karanja told KNA from her stall that her customers had greatly reduced following donning of face masks. “I hardly see them passing by to buy the latest and matching colors with their clothes. Sometimes I stay for three hours without a customer asking for any item from my stall. This is quite unusual,” she regretted.
As young women continue lamenting about wearing masks, some men are however rejoicing that doing so will help girls appreciate natural beauty.
Josephat Mundia, a Journalism student majoring in PR at Jomo Kenyatta of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Juja says: “It is a high time women appreciated the way God created them so that they stop exaggerating their appearances with make-ups some of which are harmful to the skin.”
Mundia said that these make-ups portray a different person who will scare the beholder when she has not worn them. He is of the opinion that women should stop using artificial things.
He says it is cheap to maintain such women as they will not incur an extra budget for things that they can do without. “Doing so will also reduce stress for poor women who struggle a lot in order to get money to purchase them,” Mundia added.
“If a woman is natural, it saves families unnecessary budget and they are thus able to save for a rainy day with ease. One can just even bathe and quickly leave the house as compared to one who is glued to her makeup as she spends long hours admiring herself in the mirror thus wasting time that can be used to do something useful,” Munydia said.
But Kevin Masese, a judicial officer at the Kiambu law courts supports makeups, saying he does not mind a lady who wears them. “There must be a difference between a man and a woman,” he says while showing a picture of his wife.
Nyachae Mogambi, a Probation Officer in Kiambu says health is paramount and congratulated the government for the efforts it had taken in protecting the citizens adding, “People should adhere to government advice on matters health and stop joking around with their lives in the name of beauty. If the government finds it fit to tell her citizens to stay indoors so as to curb further infections of COVID-19, they must do so without question,” he said.
“And if they are told to wear face masks, they should not start coming up with funny excuses for why they cannot do so. If they cannot obey the preventive health regulations, then these are candidates for quarantine and should be locked up to instill discipline in them,” he recommended sternly.
The officer added that the beauty of a woman lies in her social attributes or conduct and not necessarily those who go smiling to anybody on the streets. He summed up by saying “The disease is here with us and all should embrace preventive measures to the letter.”
By Lydia Shiloya
