Coronavirus lockdowns risk return of hunger to Africa where many live hand-to-mouth
- Pandemic restrictions destroy incomes for millions and there are fears they may not stop the spread of Covid-19
- Good Friday rush for food in Nairobi which injured scores of people could be a taste of things to come
When the residents of Kibera, a sprawling and densely populated informal settlement in the southwest of Nairobi, tried to force their way through a gate for a share of the food they were met with tear gas. Many of the urban poor live hand-to-mouth, and coronavirus has only made the situation worse.
The incident followed government-imposed restrictions which make it difficult for most people, who depend on day labour, to go out and earn a living. What happened in Kibera – arguably Africa’s largest slum – is a reflection of the situation across many African countries, where lockdowns, border closures, curfews and bans on large gatherings, have been imposed.
Some countries have recently recorded their index cases, meaning their graphs are just starting to point up, after weeks of being spared. More than 44 African countries have implemented some form of social distancing – from partial to total lockdowns, curfews and school closures to bans on gatherings – to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
Millions of people in at least 20 countries, including South Africa, Liberia, Mauritius, Tunisia, Rwanda, Lesotho, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, have imposed nationwide lockdowns, limiting the ability of their citizens to leave their homes.
Dozens of others have imposed lockdowns in some regions, or implemented strict curfews, while others have cordoned off cities from the rest of the country to prevent importation of cases into other regions.