Covid-19 offers interesting insights on State finances
What you need to know:
- The government can effectively run on 20 percent of its current workforce and at a fraction of the office spaces it occupies.
Freeloaders: There have been some interesting lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, says Benjamin K'Obare. One, he adds, is that the government can effectively run on 20 per cent of its current workforce and at a fraction of the office spaces it occupies. Also, the hefty per diems, sitting allowances, commuter and fuel allowances, and benchmarking trips can be dispensed with as the 80 per cent freeloaders stay away. His contact is [email protected].
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Exercise: Doing physical exercises, F. Mukembu, advises, is one of the ways of maintaining one’s mental health. With the Covid-19 pandemic keeping people at home, exercise comes in handy. People, he urges, should embrace the new normal, which is to adhere to the safety guidelines. “You need not necessarily go to the gym, as there are simple aer-obics that you can engage in without incurring cost and still be physically fit.” His contact is [email protected].
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Power cost: Talk about Kenya Power planning to increase electricity tariffs has upset Carey Yiembe, who feels that it's not justifiable. The power utility, which enjoys a near-monopoly, he adds, should stop the tendency to increase tariffs every now and then, placing a huge burden on the consumers amid the economic crunch. His unsolicited advice to Kenya Power is that it should instead streamline its operations. His contact is [email protected].
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Clashes: There have been a number of ethnic clashes in which people have been killed and property destroyed or looted and livestock stolen in recent days, but Damson Opiyo Onger has just one nagging issue on his mind. It is about the deafening silence of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC). “The NCIC has failed to rein in the warring communities in Nakuru and Narok counties,” he concludes. His contact [email protected].
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Tradition: Who will tell the Kenyan story? asks Joe Ngige Mungai, alarmed at the loss of traditional knowledge in mother tongue. Says he: “Our children no longer speak their parents’ languages or even eat their indigenous food.” Joe has attended Mburi cia Kia Kikuyu Council of Elders’ meetings, which left him worried as “the generation with firsthand information is exiting”. His contact is [email protected].
Have a nostalgic day, won't you!
