Triumph over adversity

The COVID-19 virus couldn’t have come at a worse time for the country. It reminds me of a period between December 2007 and early 2008. I cleared my form four in 2006 and the results were released in February 2007 to my greatest delight I scored enough points to qualify for admission to a public university which was extremely exciting for it earned me part sponsorship from the government- this was a big deal since my parents weren’t well off and paying my college/university fees wasn’t guaranteed.

This period brings back memories of then since in as much as I was excited joining the university, the country was also experiencing unrest caused by the general elections held in December 2007 whose contested results had declared the incumbent Mr Mwai Kibaki the winner over his fierce rival and opposition leader Mr Raila Odinga. The results did not auger well with supporters of Mr Odinga who took up to the streets and with that followed a period of extreme unrest with cases of deadly violence being reported all over the country. This was threatening my dream of joining the university and with it came extreme anxiety, I was scared my dream would not come to existence if the violence continued.

The election violence as it was termed then persisted with both ends unwilling to relent and agree to put an end to it by calming down their supporters. The violence escalated to a point where it got the attention of the international community and the former Secretary General of the United Nation the late Mr. Koffi Annan had to intervene and bring the warring parties together to negotiate which ultimately led to the signing a historic Memorandum of Understanding which resulted to the formation a grand coalition government shared 50/50 between Mr Kibaki and the opposition leader Mr Odinga and like a miracle all the violence stopped and everything went back to normal for lack of a better term. My dream of joining the university was back in sight.

I bring back memories of then, for at the time the future seemed dark both for me and for the country, precious lives were lost, businesses were destroyed, transport systems were paralysed and nothing was functional it was a period of extreme uncertainty. The dreams of many just like mine were fading away, hopes and aspirations of many lost and with no end in sight and our beloved country was steaming towards the ruins. But amidst all these there was still hope and this came through the signing of the MOU and like the phoenix the country rose from the ashes.

I am not a prophet of any kind and I do not promise anything other than propagate hope. The future is a mystery to everyone, we plan and hope but as the saying goes; if you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans. COVID-19 has brought with it death, fear and devastation in the population, we are scared of what may or will happen but if we are truly honest with ourselves no one knows what it is. Government leaders are worried their systems will be overwhelmed, businesses are worried about collapsing, employees and worried about losing jobs, statuses, assets and all that come with not forgetting the ultimate fear of losing our lives as a result of the virus.

With a whole list of fears and anxieties about COVID-19 we may have become blind to the exact thing that we are really afraid of – starting over again. Everything we have or possess, be it the best government systems, the most innovative and profitable businesses, the best careers, jobs, status, assets or whatever it is, we built from scratch and are responsible for the success it/they became, we have the experience of bringing something great to life and if we did it once we can do it all over again. It may take longer, it may be more difficult, it might not be exactly as before but for sure if we believe in our abilities as individuals, as families, society, organisation or governments we can do it again.

COVID-19 is a virus that threatens to destroy human kind not only affecting their health but also economically and this is what makes it more dangerous. Government authorities and International organisations such as the World Health Organisations (WHO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), business organisations such as Safaricom scrapping transaction charges and philanthropists including Jack Ma donating testing and protective kits, Aliko Dangote generous contribution through the CACOVID (Coalition Against COVID-19) initiative are doing what is within their powers to help manage the impact and spread of the pandemic but a lot more effort is required from the population. The proposed measures which include self-distancing, washing and sanitising of hands regularly, limiting social interactions and covering of the mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze are meant to protect against the spread of the disease, but on top of these we should also protect ourselves economically.

Hoarding will be the first thing that will jump into the minds of most individuals and business as we combat the impact of the virus in the short run, but is it a true solution for the long run. Even If the population stocks up their fridges, freezers, cabinets with food and stays indoors, it is ultimately bound to run out or spoil one way or another. The solution is to ensure there is continuous production and supply of necessities throughout the pandemic. Through proper management of the production and supply, the loop between consumption and production will be complete and with the stakeholders in the supply chain both contributing and benefiting, this will not only maintain order but also guarantee continuity. In the process we will be building internal capacity such as Rivatex East Africa producing face masks, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) releasing seized illegal ethanol for manufacturer of hand sanitizers to combat not only this particular pandemic but also any other that we may have to face in the future. Governments and impact based organisations should then revise their lists of priorities with the sustainability objective.

In the short-run, picking from the advice of a dear friend is to learn to take the necessary actions within your control and leverage on them continuously while trying not to be fazed by the universal circumstance.

COVID-19 is a monster which has attacked mankind’s health, social, mental and economic well-being and like all previous pandemics, epidemics and challenges mankind has always emerged stronger and more resilient. Let us not treat it as an exception but an opportunity to apply lessons learnt from our previous triumphs over adversity.