Kenya flag
from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – THE private sector in East Africa’s biggest economy, Kenya, is measuring the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in each sector of the economy.
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), the apex body, resolved to engage all its members to begin to calculate the projected effect in that regard.
Carole Karuga, the KEPSA Chief Executive Officer, said the collated
input would inform the development of a rapid response mitigation plan to minimize the impact of the outbreak on the Kenyan market.
“It will also allow the private sector to measure the impact of the
expected global slowdown of trade on Kenya,” she added.
KEPSA is encouraged by Executive Order No 2 of 2020, issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta, which provides a platform to address the national emergency efforts on the outbreak.
Karuga said KEPSA would present collated members’ proposals during the quarterly engagement with the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee (NDICC) Roundtable, chaired by Cabinet Secretary, Dr Fred Matiang’i, later this month.
The private sector will work with the government on economic mitigation actions during the season that will affect both big and small business and feed to the newly-established task force by government on the area of economic impact.
Karuga said some private sector players relying on imports from some of the affected regions were activating other supply chains and sourcing options to mitigate imminent disruptions before global trade settles back to normality.
Kenya Healthcare Federation, the KEPSA health sector board, is working closely with the Ministry of Health on joint activities to ensure coordinated and regular communication updates to the public about COVID-19.
“We will continue to play our role as the private sector in our
contribution to the economy,” Karuga assured.
COVID-19 has killed more than 3 000 people globally since the outbreak in China at the end of last year.
– CAJ News