Lockdown of Kenyan Eastleigh commercial hub impacts the local economy
11 May 2020

Lockdown of Kenyan Eastleigh commercial hub impacts the local economy

by | posted in: COVID-19, Kenya | 0

By Francis Kinyua. Due to increased community transmission of COVID-19, the government executed a two-week cessation of movement in and out of Eastleigh, Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday, May 6 2020. It immediately posed a negative impact on residents and thousands of business people who operate in the area. There was a heavy presence of security officers in all parts of the district, with roadblocks mounted at all major entry points to prevent movement in and out of the densely populated area inhabited mostly by natives of the Somali community.

Dry Water Taps in Nairobi’s Pumwani Slums during COVID-19 Pandemic
8 May 2020

Dry Water Taps in Nairobi’s Pumwani Slums during COVID-19 Pandemic

by | posted in: COVID-19, Kenya | 0

By Francis Kinyua: Hand washing is a precautionary measure to curb the spread of COVID-19, but residents of Majengo Pumwani slums in Nairobi are wondering what this means as taps have been dry for the past week. As water taps stopped working in Majengo slums, there is no water for drinking and cooking, let alone to wash hands to curb the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 and LOCUST-20 lead to unprecedented famine in East Africa
8 May 2020

COVID-19 and LOCUST-20 lead to unprecedented famine in East Africa

by | posted in: COVID-19, Environment, Ethiopia, EU funding, European Union, FAO, Kenya, Locust, Somalia | 0

This month, communities across East Africa, which are already unsteady from the impact of COVID-19, are now also forced to fight against new swarms of locusts. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that the locust outbreaks in Ethiopia and Somalia are the worst in 25 years and in Kenya the worst in 75 years. The FAO expects that swarms will rise in June and July at the time of harvest and could cause ‘biblical’ famines. David Beasley, head of the World Food Programme (WFP) said that urgent action is needed to avoid a catastrophe. The President of the African Development Bank believes that an unprecedented race against time has begun to urgently halt the progression and potentially destructive impact of COVID-19 and the locust swarms in Africa. The European Commission and the FAO have gathered funds to help in the fight against the growing locust swarms but challenges remain due to COVID-19.