(4 minutes read)
· African governments, one after the other, are imposing
lockdown in the severest manner to contain COVID-19, with some of the
measures, people say that punishments meted out to violators are
disproportionate to the violations committed
· While the governments are asking people to stay at home,
poor people living in urban centers cannot comply with that because
of lack of space inside homes during the day time since the one room
house is overcrowded
African governments, one after the other, are imposing lockdown in the
severest manner to contain COVID-19, with some of the measures, people
say that punishments meted out to violators are disproportionate to
the violations committed. While in Kenya, police fired teargas to
clear public markets, the Ugandan police shot dead two men who
ignored transport bans. In countries like Morocco and Senegal the
restrictive measures are affecting the lives of ordinary citizens, who
are finding difficulties to find works to support them and their
families.
Like in most of the developing countries, the places where the poor
people are living are very crowded. On an average, one family will
have an average six or seven people to support; while there will be
only an earning member. While the governments are asking people to
stay at home, poor people living in urban centers cannot comply with
that because of lack of space inside homes during the day time since
the one room house is overcrowded. Night time, most of the adult men
sleep outside homes.
It is to be borne in mind that most of the countries, though clamped a
sort of curfew have not made any arrangements for providing free food,
shelter and other basic needs of the people. Even in countries beyond
Africa, such as India, where there are a huge number of migrant
workers, who move from one place to the other, in search of jobs,
clampdown on account of pandemic had led to difficult situations that
the governments could not foresee. They started, moving in large
numbers, to reach their homes, sometimes, hundreds of miles away, by
walking since the public transport has been put into animated
suspension. The governments both central and state governments had to
spring to quick action by assuring them food and shelter and other
basic necessities. One of the reasons cited by the migrant workers for
moving out was the uncertainty when the lockdown would be lifted and
somewhat forceful eviction of the workers, who are mostly tenants, by
the landlords for fearing that they would default on rents. Stern
warnings from the governments including prosecution of the deterrent
landlords could only pacify the migrant workers to stay put where they
are.
Many feel the countries in Africa should resort to such deterrent
measures so that the migrant workers are not forced to move out of the
place where they are staying. Also, they feel that temporary shelters
should be built across various parts of the countries to provide
temporary stay and food to workers.
