[ad_1]
His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that all education institutions in all levels of learning shall re-open in accordance with the calendar issued by the Ministry of Education.
Speaking at the State House during Labour day, Kenyatta emphasized that the country’s staying power in the fight against this pandemic is our greatest arsenal.
On matters of PPEs, Kenyatta said that when the World Health Organization indicated that there was a monthly deficit of 89 million masks globally to fight COVID Hela Limited was swift to produce masks.
“Faced with this opportunity, Hela was swift to produce 10 million masks during the months of April and May 2020. This meant that one factory in Kenya manufactured 1 out of 18 masks globally, to close the WHO deficit,” he said.
He noted that the second industry is Bedi Investments, a Kenyan apparel company based in Nakuru.
“When the COVID pandemic hit, Bedi Investments retooled its productive capacity due to a fall in clothing demand from the west. Over 800 workers stared at unemployment due to falling demand from especially the U.S and Europe,” he noted.
However, he said that Bedi began producing PPEs, and masks.
Their production capacity of PPEs shot with speed to 10,000 PPEs daily.
“Instead of firing its 800 workers, Bedi actually hired another 300 workers to cope with the heavy demand, not just from Kenya but from Uganda as well. Today, Bedi Investments is responsible for the manufacturing of 80 per cent of all the PPEs available in Kenya and for over 70 per cent of all PPEs in Uganda,” he said.
Additionally, he said that the success of the two companies under mention was made possible because they were not paralyzed by the COVID crisis; instead, they seized the opportunity and created innovations.
“But, above all, their innovations preserved the much-needed jobs and even created new ones, in the case of Bedi investments.He thanked the service, dedication and sacrifice of unappreciated workers.
“….but the most stretched by the COVID pandemic. We as a caring nation have noted their service, dedication and sacrifice, for which we thank them,” he appreciated.
“I lead the nation in celebrating the ‘invisible workers’ of our markets during COVID. These are the invisible suppliers, who have kept our nation running in the face of difficult times.”
He also celebrated rom truck drivers who deliver food from far, to the marigiti women who have to distribute the food from 4.00 a.m.
“From the boda boda riders who connect the delivery dots, to the digital sellers who make this possible. I thank you all. And fundamentally, I wish to thank every Kenyan whose unsung efforts support our resilience against the challenges we face today,” he said.
On Covid-19 status, he said that COVID caseload in Nairobi has now gone down to below 15,000 for the month of April, signifying a 74 per cent decrease in infections.
“Data from our medical experts suggests the same trend in the zoned area we put on lockdown during my March 26th 2021 address. After one month of lockdown, COVID caseload within the zoned area has come down by 72 per cent,” he reflected.
In other areas of the Republic, the COVID caseload fell by 89 per cent in Mombasa and 90 per cent in Busia between March and April 2021.
[ad_2]
Source link
