Several families based in Juja, Kiambu county on Wednesday, June 10 resorted to selling their household items in a bid to buy food and settle their rent arrears.
From beds, mattresses, sofas and TV cabinets, helpless families turned to stores that deal in second-hand items to trade-in their prized possessions in order to avoid eviction over rent arrears.
"We have to sell our valuables. Yesterday I sold my bed so that I could top up on some money I had to cover my rent.
"I also needed the money to be able to buy water which is selling at Ksh20 per jerrican," Monica Wangui, an area resident, sorrowfully narrated.
According to the families currently forced to live from hand to mouth since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, the cessation of movement orders effected by the national government cut them off from their only source of livelihood.
" We have been in dire need of help ever since the county borders were shut. Most of us used to work in the neighbouring county of Murang'a but we can no longer head out to earn a days wage.
"Others used to work at bars and nightclubs in the Bluepost area in Thika town, but they are all closed now, and we are now forced to employ desparate the Joseph Kimata, a Juja resident, explained.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on March 27, ordered for the cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi to contain the spread of coronavirus.
This order has been extended each month ever since, leaving countless families in dire need of aid just to cover their basic needs.
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Emotional torment has also been brought about by the directive, with families split apart as well.
Peterson Maasa, a resident of Machakos County, recently spoke to the media and revealed that he has been separated from his new-born son and wife ever since the directive was effected.
“I only held my son once and I had to rush back to Machakos to take care of things at home. We have a business that I had to put in order. The borders closed a few hours later and I have never physically seen my son again,” he tearfully narrated.
His wife, Lucy Mwende, was rushed for an emergency caesarian section in Nairobi after developing complications on March 26.
“My husband would call and I would do nothing, but cry. I really needed his support, but he could not be here. I was getting better but when 30 more days were added to the cessation of movement rule, I got anxiety attacks again,” she stated.
The adverse effects of the pandemic and the measures undertaken to curb its spread have greatly impacted families across the country.
Director General for Health Patrick Amothe, on Monday, June 10, revealed that special consideration could be given to families when a Nairobi resident sent him a personal plea, seeking to be re-united with his family.
"We acknowledge that pandemics and other outbreaks always create challenges and changes in patterns of lifestyles. However in special circumstances that may need medical interventions, we have exemptions and systems are available to support the various needs," he stated.
EU Ambassador to Kenya Simon Mordue, has since announced that non--profit organisations based in Europe had donated Ksh606 million to bail out 80,000 vulnerable Kenyans who lost income sources due to COVID-19
“The EU is standing with Kenya during this difficult time, providing a lifeline through cash transfers for the worst affected people in Nairobi’s urban informal settlements, including women, the elderly and persons with disabilities,” he said in a statement.
