#UnlockOurCountry Press Conference
Channel: 254 TV
Date: 06/04/2021

Stakeholders, Friends, Partners, Well-wishers, Members of the General Public, and Members of the 4th Estate, we’re gathered here to shed more light on our National Agenda, which is focused on the Kenya Government’s action of unfair and inconsiderate closure of the country and the dire repercussions being felt by ordinary Kenyans who have been rendered jobless and who are now unable to work, earn and put food on the table. Majority of Kenyans do not have the luxury of mega savings and trust funds to cushion them during this lock-down. Furthermore, there is no economic relief and psychosocial support being given by the State.

The misguided and ill-thought closure of the Hospitality, Entertainment, Events, Creative and Sports industries has left our members distraught. The shocks on our industries have been crippling. Many organizations have been highly affected by the lockdown. For most, it is impossible to remain operational under these circumstances. Other industries such as Transport and Education are also feeling the pain. Our plight, the challenges we are facing and the issues we have called you here to articulate are shared by both young and older Kenyans across the country, and across all sectors of the economy.

As a result of the sudden closure, businesses have been shut down. Payments have been with held.Employees have been sent on immediate unpaid leave. Many citizens are unable to pay their bills.Some are battling eviction, foreclosure, auctioning, suicide and depression. Many breadwinners are unable to meet the medical bills, recurrent obligations and expenses incurred in the care giving of their dependents. We have a disaster on our hands. Intervention is critical and must be done now! All we want is for the President to #UnlockOurCountry so we can get out, go to work, earn and feed our families!

The President unilaterally decided that the best thing to do was to lock down the country. Well, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but not every opinion is a meaningful contribution to a problem.What President Uhuru forgot, overlooked or disregarded is how the lockdown will adversely affect Kenyans. Freedom of movement is not about simply going to hang out in the mall or to going to lie around at Jevanjee Gardens. Freedom of movement has to do with the ability to earn freely. It has to do with a friendly environment for businesses to operate freely.

When a lockdown is imposed, it automatically makes business players shift into crisis mode. During a crisis, all budgets are withheld. People stop spending. The spill-over effect of hoarding cash is a liquidity crisis. Herein, money ceases to flow - everywhere. Employers stop paying employees.Employees are sent home on unpaid leave - indefinitely. The employee, without a salary cannot pay rent. The landlord too, as a result, is now broke. He/she cannot service his/her bank loan. The bank decides to foreclose and auction his/her assets. Without money to pay for a lawyer, he/she cannot get an injunction in court. Wait, does the Executive follow court orders anymore?

The Mama Mboga has no one to sell to. Her customers have disappeared. Her stock goes bad. She throws it away and packs up. She cannot go back to her rural home as the city is on lockdown. Her kids are hungry. She cannot pay school fees. She is stranded. What does she do?


The businessman is cash strapped. No one is taking up his services. His clients who owe him money have said, "Tuongee after lockdown." Lockdown itaisha lini? Lockdown itatolewa lini? – Only Uhuru knows. The business he was expecting is not forthcoming. He now has a parent sick in hospital. His parent is admitted with Covid-19. The bills are rising. He has Ksh. 1 Million to pay…

His insurance provider has sent him an email stating that they don't cover Covid-19 related
complications despite him having paid the premium. They claim it is ‘outside the policy.’ He has no money to pay the hospital. He has exhausted all his savings. He had planned his life well, however, all his plans are now in disarray. The hospital is piling pressure. They want a top up. They need a guarantor. They won't allow his parent to be discharged and to go home without the money. They are threatening to take his parent off oxygen.

This fellow Kenyans, is the reality on ground. This, fellow Kenyans is why we want President Uhuru to #UnlockOurCountry!!!

To the media, our supporters and well-wishers, thank you for the continued support. Thank you for your consistency, for your encouragement and for walking with us every step of the way. We are committed to building the Kenya we seek to see. We are committed to calling out the poor governance and bad leadership we are tired of seeing.

The time for change has come. The time for change is now. Rise up and be counted! Let your voice be heard… Loud and crystal clear.

Viva!!!

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