Why Kenyans are begging their president for freedom

In our series of letters from African journalists, Joseph Warungu captures the frustrations of Kenyans who have been pleading with the government to ease the measures taken to curb the spread of Covid-19.

“Mr President, we beg you – please, please set us free!”

These are not the words of people held in detention or mandatory quarantine after being roughed up by Kenyan police for not wearing face masks.

Instead, it is the cry of many Kenyans who cannot stand the lockdown measures anymore.

Before President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation on Saturday, social media had been awash with memes, pleas and videos urging him to ease the lockdown measures.

Tomorrow issa day that the Lord has made…we shall rejoice and be glad in it. Happy friyay ?#WorldEnvironmentDay2020 #COVID19 #UhuruKenyatta #Uhurustoughchoices #BlackLivesMatter #CurfewKenya #mutaikagwe #FreedomOfExpression pic.twitter.com/A1aszaA1yE

— THE IMPECCABLE (@RealDerro) June 5, 2020

Source: bbc.com