Total lockdown fears: Counties start mapping out food-insecure families

Although the government has time and again insisted that there is nothing such as a looming shutdown, everything seems to be pointing towards that direction.
At least that is what the measures announced in recent weeks and whatever is happening in the background in government circles seems to be pointing to.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has on two occasions avoided ordering a total shutdown, instead issuing guidelines that restrict movement in a way but not altogether.

Tracking coronavirus
In the background, however, both the national and various county governments are busy preparing how to prevent a total economic collapse encase a shutdown is announced.
The government has through Nyumba Kumi officials began mapping out various areas in order to determine the kind of help they may need in case of a total lockdown.
Most county governments, it has emerged, have set aside emergency response funds and even asked administrators, police commanders and a number of NGOs to map out areas and identify families that the government may need to reach in case the President invokes the Public Order Act in totality.
The Nation has learnt that administrators from both levels of government with the help of village elders and Nyumba Kumi committee members are registering residents in dire need of assistance should there be a lockdown due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Although the registration exercise, which started last Thursday, has been ongoing silently, there are concerns of inclusivity, with some villagers questioning the criteria used to single out those in dire need of food.
The data collected by the administrators include identification numbers, telephone contacts among others. However, while some administrators have completed collecting data in some areas, others have not started as they are awaiting directives from their bosses.
In Baringo County, chiefs have been instructed to identify where to store relief food ahead of distribution. Lokis chief Johnstone Long'iro told the Nation that they were authorised by County Commissioner Henry Wafula to identify some of the institutions in their areas where food can be kept.
"We have, however, not received any information on identifying vulnerable beneficiaries. We are still waiting if there is such kind of arrangement," said Mr Long'iro.
At the Coast region, county governments have started mapping out vulnerable households. In Mombasa, the exercise, which is ongoing in Mikindani, Changamwe, Tudor and Kisauni, is expected to enlist residents who will be supplied with food items in case of a lockdown.
Last week, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho announced the Emergency Household Relief and Nutrition Support Project as part of the county’s Economic Stimulus Programme that will ensure residents are adequately taken care of in case of a lockdown.
The county government has set aside Sh200 million to cushion 227, 404 vulnerable households, according to Mr Joho.
He added that they have an ambitious budget of Sh700 million for providing nutrition support to the vulnerable households.
In Tana River County, chiefs and headmen in Tana Delta have started registering residents who will need relief support.
According to locals, the exercise started last Thursday and is being spearheaded by headmen and chairmen of Nyumba Kumi initiative.
"They just told us that we may receive money from government before the lockdown,” said Said Awadh. The exercise is however being done in high secrecy.
In Tharaka-Nithi County, chiefs and their assistants who spoke to the Nation said they are identifying needy households that will benefit from government’s support in case of a total lockdown.
When contacted, County Commissioner Beverly Opwora did not confirm if the exercise is ongoing, only noting that they are closely monitoring the impacts of the pandemic and relaying the information to their seniors.
She said in case of a lockdown, the government would definitely support the most vulnerable households. “We have been able to map out people who can be vulnerable in case of a lockdown,” said Ms Opwora.
In Nakuru, County Commissioner Erastus Mbui revealed that data was collected across the devolved unit and the estimated number of needy families forwarded to the task force in charge of the exercise.
Mr Mbui said the exercise was spearheaded by chiefs and their assistants, who forwarded their reports to the task force formed by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
Governor Lee Kinyanjui, who is heading the county emergency response committee, said flower firms, which are the major employers in the county, had seriously been affected by the lockdown in Europe.
In Nyandarua, the county government is targeting squatters living in colonial villages, the elderly, orphaned and farmers whose crops have been affected by natural factors.
Appeal for support
Governor Francis Kimemia conceded that the county might be overwhelmed and appealed for support from the national government.
“I have a raised the matter with the State. We are collecting the data to establish the needy cases in readiness for a likely total lockdown,” said Governor Kimemia.
In Samburu, County Commissioner John Korir said they have not started collecting data, but it won't be a big task to obtain data from villages should the government require such.
He said various administrators have accurate data on the total number of residents living in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
In Kitui, chiefs and their assistants were yesterday collecting data on all households in their jurisdictions. The data will help identify any coronavirus cases and guide the provision of relief support to vulnerable families in the event of a lockdown.
Each administrator is tasked with activating and strengthening Nyumba Kumi structures up to the lowest village levels while identifying the most vulnerable households
According to acting County Commissioner Dan Okwatch, rescue and isolation teams have been formed to swiftly respond to any Covid-19 cases or other emergencies.
Mr Okwatch said each sub-county will be required to establish a command centre to monitor and get detailed reports from every village on the status of the population.
“The command centres will be overseen by officers drawn from relevant national and county governments departments including security, administration, public health and social services” said Mr Okwatch.
In sections of Makueni, village elders and assistant chiefs are already mapping out vulnerable communities.
The Nation encountered village elders carrying out the exercise at Makindu township last week.
Although the mapping exercise has not began in Machakos County, administrators said they are on high alert in case of a lockdown.
"The chief requires us to identify centrally placed stores at the sub-location level, where the government can deliver foodstuffs in case of a lockdown," an assistant chief in Mwala said.

Mr Mbui said the exercise was being spearheaded by the area chiefs and their assistants who forwarded their reports to the task force formed by the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
By Vincent Achuka, Kitavi Mutua, Pius Maundu, Lillian Mutavi, Florah Koech, Fadhili Fredrick, Brian Wachira, Maureen Ongalo, Lucy Mkanyika, Stephen Oduor, Kalume Kazungu, Charles Lwanga, Joseph Openda, John Njoroge, Waikwa Maina, Steve Njuguna, Geoffrey Ondieki, Francis Mureithi, George Sayagie, Alex Njeru, Gitonga Marete, Regina Kinogu and George Munene