I am certainly aware the topic maybe a bit sensitive to some but am here to give my views, kindly bear with me.
Since March when we had the first case of Corona in Kenya, which we were all anticipating thanks to the other countries going first, we have recorded relatively low numbers of diagnosis and death compared to America and Europe. It was evident even to us Africans that it would hit hard at home but Lo and behold to everyone’s surprise it did not. Scientists and Researchers and also journalists have tried to explain it but no one really is quite sure. Maybe it is under-reporting, favorable (hot) climate, the larger youth demographic, in-susceptibility to flu related diseases, I saw another one that made me stop to my tracks and laugh, good community systems that helped disseminate awareness information about Covid-19. So, what is it really that has Kenyans in specific spared all the horrors that came with this novel disease that turned out to be a global pandemic?
I have a theory; probably close to the rumor we have heard of before that ‘people of black descent have a gene that makes them immune to Corona’. Oh, how I wish! Well, there may be some truth to it, I do know doesn’t every rumor? My theory lies in the lifestyle of Kenyans. You ask how? I will tell you how…
Kenya’s population is largely youth, according to the Kenyan constitution youth is a person between the ages of 15-35. Of the 49.8 million people in Kenya 23 percent being are youth (15-24 according to United Nations definition) and 43 percent are below 15. Therefore, Kenya is a very youthful country with an energetic demographic.
The status quo in Kenya is a clear defined line, it is so clear you can almost see it with the naked eye. According to the Economic survey 2017 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the lower income group comprises households with a monthly income of Kshs 23,670 and below; while middle income group comprises households with incomes ranging between Kshs 23,671 and Kshs 119,999 and finally the Upper income group enjoys remunerations of above Kshs 120,000. There is the upper echelon the upper class who are deemed of an income of six figures plus, the middle class have a disposable income of 30,000-100,000 and the lower class which comprises of 74 percent of the population have a minimum wage of 23,000 and less.
Point two, Kenya dietary is something of a marvel, forget the breakfast chai chapo/mandazi that the doctor advises against, we are into healthier foods like nduma, mhogo,ngwace, mayai. During the day we have a fruit most commonly a banana, we love quick lunch because we are a working nation we sit for a few minutes to have a balanced diet chapo ndondo or mix and a fruit and a glass of water. Later in the day at supper time we visit mama mboga for greens; skuma, kienyeji which are highly nutritious. Our youth are not only the majority but are boisterously the majority.