A wise adage has it that not all heroes capes, some wear masks, or indeed, make them. With the dawn of the Covid-19 era in Kenya, it became apparent that the appropriate responses needed to be effected to ensure that Kenyans survived the vagaries of the disease that has put the world on a literal lockdown.
It is at this time of uncertain darkness that some Kenyans stood out from the crowd and took charge of the situation, turning into overnight heroes.
For others, they were in the right place at the right time, and somehow, the Covid-19 pandemic turned them into some sort of household names. Below is a list of some of these Kenyans whom coronavirus thrust into the limelight...
1. Rashid Yakub
At a time when the Kenya police were at loggerheads with the Kenyan public due to brutal enforcement of the dusk-to-dawn curfew directives in the coast, Coast Region Police Commander Rashid Yakub showed a different picture.
Susan Kageya became the face of the havoc that the Covid-19 pandemic is wreaking on the everyday citizen when photos of her donning a 'mask' made from plastic bottles went viral.
In a video that surfaced online on Wednesday, April 1, the police boss was moved by the woman and her two children (Susan kageya) who had made the most pitiful effort to protect themselves against the Covid-19 virus.
While everyone around them at the Likoni Channel crossing was wearing a protective mask in line with the government's guidelines, the three had only managed to repurpose plastic bottles into something resembling a mask.
Touched by the plight of the three who stood out in the most unenviable way, the commander bought new facemasks for them and personally put them on their faces, earning him praise from the members of the public.
2. David Ochieng' (Avido)
David Ochieng' is the embodiment of the fact that even though you cannot help wearing a mask, you can choose to look good when wearing one.
The celebrated fashion designer whose street-inspired Ankara themed works have transversed continents, took his time to make and personally donate face masks to people living in Kibera slums.
Having been born in Kibera, David acknowledged the risk faced by Kibera residents in the fight against Covid-19. This is what made him start making face masks and distributing them for free amongst his local community.
As of March 26, he has distributed about 2,000 masks in Kibera for free.
3. Baringo AP Commandant Ibrahim Abachilla
Not all is lost, there is still hope in @NPSOfficial_KE
— SonharryThePhotog (@wamiti_sonharry) March 27, 2020
This is Baringo AP Commandant Mr Ibrahim Abachilla.
His deeds are well appreciated for cautioning them on day one atleast. #CurfewKenya #PoliceBrutality pic.twitter.com/FPAQuEkr63
The first night of curfew enforcement (March 27, 2020) was a day marked with bile and darkness for many as they accused the police of taking out anger on those caught up in the curfew.
Amidst the beatings, however, the Baringo AP Commandant Ibrahim Abachilla was filmed sanitising the hands of drivers and passengers at a petrol station after their vehicle had stopped to refuel within the curfew period.
The police officer took time to urge them to take care and heed to directives spelled out the government in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and to make sure that they were home in time the following night.
The video portraying him in the act went viral and attracted accolades from far and wide, including merchandise from a local supermarket in appreciation of his unique efforts.
4. Samuel Kairu and Paul Kariuki
Paul (cybercafe owner) and Samuel's (software developer) story was first highlighted by Kenyans.co.ke after the two posted a video online about a ventilator that they had created.
The duo came up with a prototype in an impressive four days at their workshop in Thika after noticing a high demand for the equipment.
On April 7, 2020, the young innovators were awarded Ksh200,000 to come up with a proper prototype after meeting the Ministry of Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina, and given ten days to deliver a quality, world-standard ventilator.
5. 16 Kenyatta University students
Owing to the difficulty and the dire need for ventilators in the country, 16 students from Kenyatta University came together to help solve the crisis with their very own locally assembled ventilators.
The stand showcasing the machines was visited by the Trade and Industrialization CS Betty Maina, accompanied by the PS Industrialization and Kenyatta University Vice-Chancellor Paul Wainaina to witness the innovation.
According to the report, the ventilators were produced as a joint venture by students from different faculties, a project that they insist will work if put to the test.
The students expressed the optimism that on Monday, April 13, they were expecting the approval from the government to begin the mass production of ventilators.
They further informed that Kenyatta University has the capacity to produce 50 ventilators a week to help the country's hospitals to carter for patients of the Covid-19 pandemic.
6. Constable Caroline Makena
For this indefatigable hero, at the end of one shift, she downs the gun and sits at the sewing machine to achieve a self-imposed obligation.
In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, and countless calls by President Uhuru Kenyatta for each Kenyan to take up a role in combating the virus, the officer has been making protective face masks and handing them for free from her precinct.
As the only female officer at Tot Police Station, Marakwet East Sub-county, Elgeyo Marakwet county, her daily routine now includes some extra hours which she spends with a sewing machine, an iron box, and rolls of special-purpose material.
Once the tailoring is done, she then issues them out for free to bodaboda riders, fellow police officers, reporters coming to the station and any other person in need of them.
7. Brian Orinda and Brenda Cherotich
The backlash that followed the government's revelation of the first and the third Covid-19 patients in the country was overwhelming, but it is worth noting that the two represented the face of hope that indeed the pandemic was beatable.
Speaking to the president, Brenda recounted that she had visited the US in December 2019 before moving to London where she thinks she may have contracted the virus.
Brian, who was in contact with Brenda, thanked the state for tracking her contacts down and testing them for a possible interaction with the first patient.
Since the first two recoveries, the country has since gone ahead to post 74 more recoveries.
8. Medical staff
It would be a shame to sign off this list without including the very people who are staying out so that we can stay in, the brave warriors combating the deadly disease in the scary halls of Mbagathi, Kenyatta National Hospital and many other treatment and isolation centres across the country.
The medics have been in the frontline of combating the pandemic, some of them even contracting the disease while on the frontline.
With there being a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in the country, many have decided to work anyway to ensure that Kenyans remain safe even in the wake of the pandemic.
The medical professionals are the real heroes in this fight.
