The Farmers Party, is seeking an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto to bring on board grassroots groups in mitigating COVID-19 measures. – By Gerald Gekara.
The team, through its leader David Kigochi cited increased spread, huge hospital bills and rising fatalities as key indicators that the COVID mitigation committee need to focus on.
The Farmers Party proposed the formation of Covid-19 Grassroots Mitigation Committee to help President Uhuru Kenyatta tackle the scourge.
The team also proposed that the Covid-19 Grassroots Mitigation Committee to comprise the Government, Non-Governmental Organisations, artistes, religious leaders, youth, people with disability, elders and other likeminded individuals.
“The major task of the team will be to create awareness on the effects of Covid-19 in all the villages in the Republic of Kenya, with particular focus in rural areas.”
They further argued that rural areas fall short in following Ministry of Health directives.
“Few Kenyans in rural areas are donning face masks, avoiding large gatherings or even washing their hands as recommended by the Health ministry.”
Older People in Rural areas
It is a fact that most of the older people in Kenya are found in rural areas. The Farmers Party also proposed the institution of measures to protect the old, as most Kenyans travel to meet their grand parents.
To effectively contain this, the Covid-19 Grassroots Mitigation Committee will;
- The team will use media platforms to urge Kenyans to regularly and thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
- Urge the target group to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter (5 feet) between themselves and others who could be coughing or sneezing.
- Advice persons with a cough or sneezing to stay home or keep a social distance, but avoid mixing with others in a crowd.
- Urge all to maintain good respiratory hygiene by covering mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing with a handkerchief, tissue, or into flexed elbow.
- Advice the target group to stay at home if they feel unwell with symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.
- Those attending church, mosques etc to ensure they are provided with sanitizing/and hand washing facilities.
- Urge all Public transport providers to provide hand sanitisers for their clients and regular cleaning of the vehicles.
- Visit all schools to ensure they are adhering to the Health guidelines.
- Urge teachers and pupils to adhere to the guidelines.
