Kenya's slippery slope to Covid-19 mandates
Kenya’s slippery slope to a mandatory vaccine for Covid-19.
As of November 2021, most of Africa has seen little Covid-19. South Africa initially reacted the strongest with severe lockdowns, causing widespread social and economic harm, but they were simply conforming to the narrative given to them by the WHO. Some other African countries attempted lockdowns, leading to police violence and other abuses. However, taken as a whole Sub-Saharan Africa has seen little signs of the pandemic. Overall mortalities are no greater, hospitals no more congested than before and the normal concerns of life are seen as more profound and important than the worries of Covid-19. Also, Africa has some of the youngest populations in the world, making them less susceptible to complications of Covid infection.
Also, we have seen different reactions to the pandemic in various countries, similar to what is seen in Europe and even within different states in the USA. Tanzania basically ignored the pandemic until President Magafuli mysteriously died of a heart attack. The President of Madagascar also stated that he had natural treatments that can help take care of many cases, if need be. The President of Burundi actually evicted the WHO from the country, but then he also died of a heart attack last year. Kenya did initiate a strong lockdown for some months but now has been seeing very few cases and deaths, in a population of over 50 million people.
But that is now not stopping them moving toward a more coercive and mandatory vaccine policy, now that they have more vaccines. The Ministry of Health, on November 21st wrote an update on their National Emergency Response Committee on Covid-19. The document stated that they have been seeing decreasing cases in the last 2 months, and also that since March 2020 the country recorded 254,629 positive cases and 5,325 deaths in that time. That’s about one death per 50,000 in the last 18 months. However, in spite of this, Kenya is looking to copy other countries in enforcing virtually mandatory vaccines in order to have a normal life. The document stated that 95% of those hospitalized (presumably with Covid) are not vaccinated. Only 18% of the elderly are vaccinated but 79% of teachers and 88% of health workers are. The document repeated many of the same myths stated in western media, for example, that the young need to be vaccinated as they spread the disease more, even though all evidence shows that is not the case and vaccinated people spread it as much as non-vaccinated. They want to give it to all children 12 and above, stating that is what the WHO wants, whereas in fact, the WHO has stated it’s not necessary to vaccinate children. They are going to begin with 15 year olds. They are observing what countries in Europe are doing, increasing lockdown measures and imposing vaccine mandates. The Minister of Health mentioned that he had been abroad the past few weeks. One wonders who he had been talking to and what "advice" he had been given to impose vaccine mandates. The document stated it will impose the following policies:
- Everybody seeking in person government services needs to be vaccinated by December 21st (that is a huge portion of the population).
- Proof of vaccine to travel on trains, domestic flights and all buses/matatus that are going to regional areas.
- All operators of any public transport including hostesses and pilots need to be vaccinated.
- Vaccine proof for any national parks and game reserves, hotels, bars and restaurants.
- Any small businesses dealing with more than 50 people a day requires proof of vaccine before entry and patrons to be fully vaccinated.
- All indoor gatherings to be limited to 2/3rd capacity with proof of vaccination for all attendees.
- Visitors from the EU have to be vaccinated to enter the country.
How a country like Kenya is going to be able to enforce this remains to be seen. Many people who live in the countryside and who would frequent local places to eat and drink are likely not to have to face these restrictions unless there is a lot of monitoring by authorities. Word has it that many Kenyans are reluctant to take the vaccine. They don’t trust it as they (along with many other African countries) have been at the mercy of many drug experiments before and they have an intrinsic reservation about this vaccine. However, the government wields a lot of authority and as we have seen elsewhere in the world, governments are now beginning to squeeze people through fear, threat and other coercive measures to force this drug experiment onto their populations.
Kenya already has an unfortunate reputation for corruption, the police being some of the worst culprits. in the first lockdowns there was widespread violence against people, bribery and instant fines for any apparent lockdown violation. This new policy may unleash yet more violence and corruption onto the long suffering people in Kenya. It will not be pretty and things could get way out of hand. it is now hoped that this policy will be challenged in the courts before it is allowed to become law. Let’s hope Kenyans resist and push back against these draconian measures.
For more analysis on why Africa has not been impacted very much by the pandemic read the following article: