The Ekuru Aukot-led Thirdway Alliance on Monday, March 30, petitioned the National Assembly proposing a raft of measures it wants implemented as part of the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thirdway called for the creation of a Ksh50 billion special emergency fund to facilitate the purchase of healthcare equipment, recruitment of medical personnel and food for the most vulnerable in society.
Additionally, the party called for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to be recalled from Somalia where the troops were deployed since 2011 under 'Operation Linda Nchi' to fight the Al-Shabaab terror group. The party argued that bringing the soldiers home would free up Ksh20 billion that could be channeled towards the emergency fund.
"That the National Assembly passes legislation to recall the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) from Somalia and to compel the National Government to negotiate with the African Union to deploy Amisom soldiers from countries that do not share a border with Somalia and also to put into place legal mechanisms that will enable our military to guard and police our borders effectively.
"This will enable the National Assembly to re-allocate more than Ksh20 billion of the military budget to the Specific Emergency Fund towards Covid-19," Thridway's petition reads in part.
While Thirdway called for the military to be recalled to protect borders, others such as political analyst and University of Nairobi (UoN) don Herman Manyora want a total lockdown ordered and the KDF brought in to enforce it.
"We need the military to take charge of the response team so that we can have some discipline. Do you think the military will simply be taking bribes? No. They will ensure we stick to the measures put in place," Manyora told Kenyans.co.ke on Sunday, March 22.
In the petition, Thirdway further called for the government to make available to Kenyans affordable, unsecured mobile and bank loans to be repaid over two years to help them back on their feet as they feel the pinch from the economic slowdown brought about by the pandemic.
"That the National Assembly passes a legislation to establish at least Ksh50 billion revolving fund to be availed to individuals, micro and small business enterprises as low-interest unsecured loans through mobile loans and banks and provide that the amounts which remain unpaid after the crisis be repaid for a period of two years.
"This will enable individuals like digital taxi drivers, bartenders, small traders, Jua Kali artisans, small scale farmers, amongst others, to have access to liquidity during this Covid-19 period," the petition reads in part.
The party further called for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to establish a special national group cover for all Covid-19-related ailments.
Thirdway also called for the income tax returns deadline for the year ending December 31, 2019, to be extended to September 30, to allow businesses and accountants time to compile data considering the effect of the pandemic on their work schedules.
