In the midst of the economic gloom wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic — crashed global markets, a grounded aviation industry, frozen tourism and the almost snuffed-out local trade — are to be found rejuvenated businesses.
From manufacturers to supermarkets and distilleries to tech firms, it has been a moment of renewed and repurposed operations.
Since Kenya announced its first Covid-19 case on March 13, several manufacturers diverted their lines of business to produce essential healthcare provisions known as personal protective equipment: gloves, masks and full body special protective medical wear were in short supply globally.
Masks, sanitisers, ventilators, medicine, technology and household essentials are suddenly in high demand.
GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS
According to Kenya Association of Manufacturers Chief Executive Phyllis Wakiaga several businesses have had to double their shifts. “The disruption of the global supply chain has pushed essential service providers to go the extra mile, as the country puts in place measures to contain and minimise the spread of the virus,” she told The EastAfrican.
Meanwhile, Trade and Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina was visited Mutsi Motors and Kenyatta University to inspect prototypes of locally manufactured ventilators.
The Kenyan automotive sector has offered to retool motor vehicle factories to make adaptations of ventilators. Firms like Mobius Motors and Associated Vehicles Assemblies are exploring mechanisms and sourcing for funding to start local production of ventilators.
“While businesses that provide non-essential services may have taken a hit, sectors that are in the business of making items that are required at present are doing okay. Supermarkets are still quite busy. Local food producers in all their variety are still doing just fine,” said the Ms Maina.
OUTFITTERS
“Textile fabricators and seamstresses have turned their tailoring machines into mask-making enterprises because nobody is buying clothes at this time.”
Last month, textile manufacturers offered their seamstresses for the newly available job of sewing surgical masks.
With a biting global shortage of specialised medical equipment to treat severe Covid-19 cases and personal protective equipment (PPEs) and no discernible source of supplies in the near future, the government turned to the apparel sector asking them to step up to the plate in response to the crisis.
It has turned out to be a bonanza for Kenya’s near-dead textile industry including Eldoret-based Rivatex and Kitui County Textile Centre (Kicotec).
Kicotec a previously sleepy factory that bagged a tender from the national government to produce uniforms for administrative cadres has halted all other production to be a 24-hour production house for masks, producing 30,000 pieces daily. Rivatex is also engaged in mass production of surgical masks.
STREAMING GIANTS
Tech giants, both local and foreign have also stepped up efforts to ensure sustenance of the shift of majority of the workforce from offices to homes.
Safaricom, Zuku, Jamii telecoms, as well as communication and marketing techprenuers like Google, Microsoft, Zoom and e-commerce platforms are some of the businesses raking in big business, as demand surged.
Safaricom saw demand for home data use rise 70 per cent since the stay-at-home measures were put into action, while mobile Internet demand rose by 35 per cent.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, said study-from-home and increased social media and entertainment access had bolstered business.
Media-service providers Netflix, DStv, Showmax and video platforms like YouTube have shored up business as people stuck at home seek entertainment.
Demand has been so high that the streaming giants have had to implement data traffic reduction measures by lowering live-streaming resolutions and picture resolution to ease pressure on the telecommunications network during the partial lockdown.
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EMBRACING CHANGE
Zuku supplied fixed home and internet connections to more than 175,500 Kenyans as at the end of December while Safaricom had 166,000 connections.
Local app-based delivery services have also seen a boom in business as more customers shop online. Jumia has partnered with Carrefour supermarket, Glovo with Naivas, and Sendy with Tuskys to introduce home delivery services.
Not to be left behind, distilleries and alcohol makers have since added alcohol-based hand sanitisers to their usual product ranges of whiskey, malting and lagers.
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