Why The Mask Is Now A Referendum Item

There was a cartoon series aptly named "The Mask". The character behind the green mask had mystical powers that enabled him do wonders. Many times, we wished to be behind that mask even if for two minutes as we felt those were sufficient to make us millions of shillings.

We grew up knowing that masks had something magical about them because our life-saving doctors wore them.

But now the tide has turned because not only do the patients and their doctors wear masks, many healthy people adorn them too. Familiarity has bred an acceptance for them. Masks have come with boarding school-like rules. We must be indoors by a certain time and just as we wore school uniform, we have masks in their stead. During these times, and as was the case at school, the economy is restricted. We were never allowed to have so much money and freedom. It is deja vu for older folks.

But now, people are not as afraid as they were when covid made landfall. The danger, while real and requires that we don't lower our guard, has meant that people are torn between health and survival. Survival is dependent on cash flow. Cash flow is dependent on economic activity. Yet, you must be healthy to hustle.

When containment measures get relaxed, a release-from-prison-like atmosphere overwhelms us in much the same way the flying termites come out in the rain. People given carte blanche to go about their businesses make wearing of masks optional.

People are out with vigour because they know that we shall have another lockdown or curfew when the MoH indicators head northwards again — and they will. They must quickly make hay while the sun shines. The on and off routine is now a way of life.

Recently, I heard a child named Kiplockdown Rono and another one named Curfew Atieno. At the coast, we have Barakoa Juma and Mathiki Maina at the slopes of Mt. Kenya. (Mathiki = Mask). These indicate that containment measures are here to stay, they are now heritage.

The government here is not as endowed with resources as those of richer nations that have ensured that no one sleeps hungry.

Had the Galana-Kulalu project bore fruit as originally envisaged, perhaps we would express our appreciation by exercising greater care for there would be enough food for everyone, courtesy of the government. But instead, we have more conditions than the tender-loving-care expected from big brother. Surely, tough love can be expressed in much better ways.

We would be a prouder nation fully heeding all protocols issued by the Ministry of Health. But those urgent basics in Maslow's hierarchy of needs are knocking hard — like the combined sounds of jua kali artisans hammers hard at work — a kind of unrepeatable heavy metal music. So great is their beckoning force that health matters temporarily take a back seat. In the midst of hardships, we lack the presence of mind to prioritise health concerns as we ought to. The mask ranks higher up with other esteem related issues that are not our immediate concern.

In areas populated by the affluent, masks are evidently an essential accessory because besides a clear consciousness on health matters, they have much more to lose and unlike their poorer compatriots, they are less pressed by the consequences of not finding money to fend off hunger for a further 24 hours.

So in many homes across Kenya, life is a daily referendum between the mask and food. This one neither needs the IEBC to be properly constituted to conduct it constitutionally nor does it require polling stations for our convenient voting. The answer is pretty clear, show me the money and I will wear the mask.

We haven't even talked about the sanitiser. It was not part of the referendum. But I urge you to play it safe. Do not lower your guard. Covid is real and the virus is no one's relative.