Advances in Phytochemistry, Textile and Renewable Energy Research for
Industrial Growth – Nzila et al. (Eds)
© 2022 Copyright the Author(s), ISBN: 978-1-032-11871-0
Open Access: www.taylorfrancis.com, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
Impact of Covid-19 on businesses in Uasin Gishu county, Kenya
Charles Lagat, Benard Nassiuma, Kefa Chepkwony & Stephen Bitok
Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic’s announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO), a wide
range of measures and guidelines, has been issued by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health
MOH). Citizens are being reminded through various communication channels to adhere to MOH containment
measures, including social distancing, testing, and isolation. This report assesses the impact of COVID-19
pandemic on the operations of businesses in Uasin Gishu County based on a survey conducted in April 2020.
The information reveals how the coronavirus pandemic had already affected businesses and the business owners’
suggestions on mitigating the situation. KNCCI, as a business membership organization, includes members from
all the sectors of the economy in the county and has more than 700 members in Uasin Gishu Chapter. The study
revealed 29% of the businesses had already closed down, several operating at less than 50% at the survey time.
Further, 80% of the companies had already sent about 1,400 employees on leave, most of them without pay.
This report provides useful information for both the Local and National Governments and other stakeholders in
coming up with mitigation measures.
Keywords: Coronavirus, World health organization, Outbreak, Ministry of health
1 INTRODUCTION
The origin of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been categorized as a public health emergency globally through the world health organization
(WHO). The first incident of COVID-19 disease and
it’s subsequent named SARS-CoV-2 was first reported
by officials in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019
(Ali, Baloch, Ahmed, Ali, & Iqbal 2020; Chinazzi,
Davis, Ajelli, Gioannini, Litvinova, Merler, & Viboud
2020). Coronaviruses (CoV) originates from a family
of viruses that result from a short illness arising from
a common cold to severe diseases. Coronavirus disease has resulted in a new struggle against humanity
on the planet. WHO its core mandate to combat other
diseases like polio, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, cancer,
diabetes, and mental health, amongst other diseases
and conditions afflicting humankind.
The COVID-19 pandemic challenge presents a universal economic crisis whose extent is still not entirely
apparent (Paules, Maston, & Fauci 2020). More than 3
million coronavirus cases globally, more than 243,569
deaths, and only less than 1,104,723 cases had recovered on 1st May 2020. The death and recovery rates
are crucial statistics, which might enable the country
to identify the magnitude of the risk areas for efficient medical and through stratifying patients based
on the extent of attention needed, which may lead to
lockdowns (Khafaie & Rahim 2020; Potluri & Lavu
2020). The coronavirus disease epidemic has been
labeled a public health crisis. The countries preparedness calls for comprehensive strategies to manage the
hospital’s space optimally, staff and supplies on service delivery, and prevent further transmission (Wong
et al. 2020). In Kenya, testing for the coronavirus
has been ongoing. Four hundred eleven confirmed
cases were reported with 240 active incidents of the
disease, according to an update by the Ministry of
Health on 1st May 2020. One victim has been reported
in Uasin Gishu County (Daily Nation, 1st May
2020).
On March 27th, 2020, the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) indicated an economic recession globally.
Their main concerns include bankruptcies and layoffs,
which could impact to crisis preventing the recovery
process (Beck, Degryse, De Haas, & Van Horen 2018).
The lockdown of economies has significantly affected
the capital flows and disruptions to the manufacturing industry. According to the World Food Programme
(WFP), the East African Community’s economies are
anticipated to deteriorate owing to inferior internal and
external economic chains.
The WFP report on 15th April 2020 projects a
gloomy future in terms of a rise in infections in East
Africa, which is worrying despite the various measures
taken. The prediction of virus trends shows a significant impact on the economies (COVID and Team
2020). WFP estimates that 20 million people worldwide were probably food insecure, and likely to be
worsened.
18
DOI 10.1201/9781003221968-3
Industrial Growth – Nzila et al. (Eds)
© 2022 Copyright the Author(s), ISBN: 978-1-032-11871-0
Open Access: www.taylorfrancis.com, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
Impact of Covid-19 on businesses in Uasin Gishu county, Kenya
Charles Lagat, Benard Nassiuma, Kefa Chepkwony & Stephen Bitok
Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic’s announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO), a wide
range of measures and guidelines, has been issued by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health
MOH). Citizens are being reminded through various communication channels to adhere to MOH containment
measures, including social distancing, testing, and isolation. This report assesses the impact of COVID-19
pandemic on the operations of businesses in Uasin Gishu County based on a survey conducted in April 2020.
The information reveals how the coronavirus pandemic had already affected businesses and the business owners’
suggestions on mitigating the situation. KNCCI, as a business membership organization, includes members from
all the sectors of the economy in the county and has more than 700 members in Uasin Gishu Chapter. The study
revealed 29% of the businesses had already closed down, several operating at less than 50% at the survey time.
Further, 80% of the companies had already sent about 1,400 employees on leave, most of them without pay.
This report provides useful information for both the Local and National Governments and other stakeholders in
coming up with mitigation measures.
Keywords: Coronavirus, World health organization, Outbreak, Ministry of health
1 INTRODUCTION
The origin of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been categorized as a public health emergency globally through the world health organization
(WHO). The first incident of COVID-19 disease and
it’s subsequent named SARS-CoV-2 was first reported
by officials in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019
(Ali, Baloch, Ahmed, Ali, & Iqbal 2020; Chinazzi,
Davis, Ajelli, Gioannini, Litvinova, Merler, & Viboud
2020). Coronaviruses (CoV) originates from a family
of viruses that result from a short illness arising from
a common cold to severe diseases. Coronavirus disease has resulted in a new struggle against humanity
on the planet. WHO its core mandate to combat other
diseases like polio, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, cancer,
diabetes, and mental health, amongst other diseases
and conditions afflicting humankind.
The COVID-19 pandemic challenge presents a universal economic crisis whose extent is still not entirely
apparent (Paules, Maston, & Fauci 2020). More than 3
million coronavirus cases globally, more than 243,569
deaths, and only less than 1,104,723 cases had recovered on 1st May 2020. The death and recovery rates
are crucial statistics, which might enable the country
to identify the magnitude of the risk areas for efficient medical and through stratifying patients based
on the extent of attention needed, which may lead to
lockdowns (Khafaie & Rahim 2020; Potluri & Lavu
2020). The coronavirus disease epidemic has been
labeled a public health crisis. The countries preparedness calls for comprehensive strategies to manage the
hospital’s space optimally, staff and supplies on service delivery, and prevent further transmission (Wong
et al. 2020). In Kenya, testing for the coronavirus
has been ongoing. Four hundred eleven confirmed
cases were reported with 240 active incidents of the
disease, according to an update by the Ministry of
Health on 1st May 2020. One victim has been reported
in Uasin Gishu County (Daily Nation, 1st May
2020).
On March 27th, 2020, the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) indicated an economic recession globally.
Their main concerns include bankruptcies and layoffs,
which could impact to crisis preventing the recovery
process (Beck, Degryse, De Haas, & Van Horen 2018).
The lockdown of economies has significantly affected
the capital flows and disruptions to the manufacturing industry. According to the World Food Programme
(WFP), the East African Community’s economies are
anticipated to deteriorate owing to inferior internal and
external economic chains.
The WFP report on 15th April 2020 projects a
gloomy future in terms of a rise in infections in East
Africa, which is worrying despite the various measures
taken. The prediction of virus trends shows a significant impact on the economies (COVID and Team
2020). WFP estimates that 20 million people worldwide were probably food insecure, and likely to be
worsened.
18
DOI 10.1201/9781003221968-3