Yesterday I watched a mitumba trader pleading with the Government to lift the mitumba ban and something she said struck me. The trader who is based in Nakuru said that some of those people who no longer seem to care about the plight of mitumba traders were educated with proceeds of this business. Or at least to show care by giving regular updates on progress. That this is how some of their parents and guardians made a living and were therefore able to provide for them. Watch the video below.
All the while as the authorities dilly dally on this matter, the tally on job losses in the country is still raising. Actually raising by about 5000 per day. 5000 jobs being lost every day in these already tough times is just too much while people are struggling to get back on their feet.
The world has been through thick and thin with the effects of COVID-19 and while it is obvious that every protocol should be observed to halt the spread of the virus, it is also a fact that the importation of Mitumba also has safety protocols so that there is no danger of the clothes bringing the virus here.
Recently I was watching a program on TV where CS Betty Maina was asked about the progress of the lifting of the ban. She was completely non-committal and I think even a little bit arrogant as she answered the question. So where does that leave the traders, consumers, transporters, and all these other people that are getting affected? Is this what happens when people up in power are out of touch with the plight of the down-trodden?
Can someone at least communicate how far this matter has gone? After all science already disputed the reason as to why the mitumba importation ban was enforced, and the president already asked for a way forward.
