The first
pronouncement of the corona epidemic turning endemic now, had almost zero
weight to the world leave aside Kenyans.
Kenyans
took to the internet with all sorts of jokes on the monster no one knew would
end up turning life upside down in a quick progression. The phrase “nothing
from China lasts; all are fake, including this corona” was all over twitter.
The reality
of this monster was felt after the first partial lockdown in Nairobi and its
environs and the seven past midday curfew. This meant that chances of accessing
the city were near zero unless one offers essential services or a need for a specialised
medical emergency.
Lessons
were learned during this period, both economic and social.
The
behavioural shift was critical; keeping indoors for the better part of the day
became normal. It wasn’t easy to keep in the compound for a single hour in that
tracing me was the hardest task one can be given.
Something
to keep me indoors was found immediately; movies became a new darling. I
sometimes managed to watch a full series-season having twenty episodes within
forty-eight hours. As we speak, I have “featured” in more than twenty movies.
It’s not a joke, I guess.
The concept
of humanity found a room in my being. Many in my midst were rendered jobless
both in the formal and informal sector of our economy, which clearly meant your
saviour might be in the next doormats different instances friends whom we had
ceased to talk long ago could call requesting for something to put in the
mouth, the humanity bit of me could not allow my neck to turn the other side.
At some
point, I had to forget my debtors if they exist.
Foes turned
allies, bad blood had to get rid of, and the hatchet buried. There was this
colleague but from a different department, whom I could not share a table with,
but coincidentally we happen to live in the same apartment. The longest conversation
we had ever had before corona came in was a good morning greeting.
Thanks to
corona, he is now my immediate brother whom we share the coronavirus updates,
politics, women, and anything that can keep time moving. It’s called united by
a common problem.
Watching
movies and generally being indoors turned boring, in that something new was
necessary to beat this boredom. Body fitness involving jogging with a friend or
two every morning and evening in addition to a homemade gym to boost our
muscles was introduced. These really paid off, many hours were spent on the
gym, which really reduced unnecessary movement.
Hygiene
became paramount, short nails not like before, where friends used to compare me
to those men working in a salon. Washing hands every now and then, wearing a
clean facial mask every day whenever I get a privilege to put a foot out of the
house may be to talk to a neighbour or to buy Sukuma wiki in the shopping
centre This was a clear indication that one can learn a new trick no matter the
age, as long as a little reinforcement and self-discipline are applied.
Economic
wise accounting up to the last coin was paramount. In some instances, my
expenditure for the day could be zero, which meant that day I had decided to
take black tea with a homemade pancake.
Making
calls was reduced by fifty percent, in that I learnt to communicate via
WhatsApp or sometimes use normal short messages service.
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On the extension of the curfew for the additional twenty-one days to June plus the closure of the Kenyan border with the neighbourliness, Tanzania and Somalia by President Uhuru Kenyatta is a perfect call to deal with the monster jogging in our streets every day.