Benson Kenali works as a guard at a luxury apartment complex in Parkland, a suburb of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, and while the residents of the complex began collecting food in their homes and staying there due to the new Corona virus, Kinali continues to travel 80 kilometers by bus to reach his work coming from outside the city To work six days a week, and he now realizes that staying outside, as he opens the doors all day, is a dangerous activity for him, especially traveling in a minibus packed with passengers, but he does not have many options. "I realize that the virus exists, and I wash my hands, but I cannot remain in quarantine. I need money, but I will have to do it when the danger becomes real," said Kinali.

Corona virus cases increased last week. On Thursday, one person died of the virus, while 31 cases were recorded. The reaction of the residents of Nairobi had demonstrated the stark inequality of society in the capital.

At the request of their country's embassies, cohorts of foreigners present in Kenya, such as United Nations staff and NGO volunteers, have begun to return to their home countries. Even residents of Kenya have decided to leave, although ticket prices have become astronomical.

As for those remaining in the country, the Kenyan government began to impose strict quarantine measures on it at a very rapid pace, and within days of the appearance of the first case, the borders of the state and schools were closed, and people were encouraged to work from home. During the past week, bars and religious gatherings were closed, and A curfew was imposed at night.

The wealthy in Nairobi began storing food and staying in their homes, on the basis of working from home, relying on their savings, and quarantine became the title of daily life for those who could afford to do it.

In the Parklands wholesale market, the business looked normal, and the only new thing was a handwashing station set up by the sellers.

No buying fever

Unlike stores in Europe and the United States, the stores here are still full of materials due to the inability of people to drift behind the buying fever, but Nice and Amboy, one of the market vendors, says that business is now slowing down due to the Corona virus, which has led to quarantine measures. "I have a lot of goods, but there aren't enough customers." "We feel fear, but we will not stop working."

In addition to the market, taxi drivers who transport their customers to motorcycles and not to cars gather, waiting for rare customers in these circumstances, and one of them is Farid Jumaa who says, "Business is not normal, but we cannot live in quarantine. I have three children and a wife and I only have my job" And Juma is considering sending his family to his relatives outside the capital near Lake Victoria, which means that he has fewer mouths to feed, but if the government imposes quarantine in a comprehensive way, he will remain in Nairobi, because his extended family relies on him for money.

There is no clarity about the imbalance between protecting against the virus and earning money to feed the family more than in eastern Nairobi, where a group of slums, one of which is the dandora, which is densely populated and informal buildings, is adjacent to the largest landfill in East Africa, despite Social activities have now stopped and schools are closed, the streets are still crowded, and everyone is still looking for an opportunity to earn money, including those who find their livelihood in the landfill.

One of the leaders of this neighborhood, a local rapper, Charles Lucania, feels that unless the government interferes, neighborhoods like the neighborhood in which he lives can face many troubles, while the virus is spreading rapidly. “The virus will spread quickly due to the lack of sanitary measures. We lack clinics, medical staff and doctors, and this is clear with the spread of this pandemic. ”

Unlike stores in Europe and the United States, stores in Nairobi are still full of materials, due to the inability of people to drift behind the buying fever.

Although social activities have now stopped and schools are closed east of the impoverished Nairobi, the streets are still crowded, and everyone is still looking for an opportunity to earn money, including those who find their livelihood in the landfill.