Kenyans started milling around Nyayo Stadium in their hundreds from as early as 4am Tuesday. And as the rays of sunshine began to hit the venue for the State funeral of the country’s second president Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, the numbers swelled.
By the time the body of the departed president was ferried into the venue shortly after 8am, close to 30,000 mourners had thronged the venue, among them present and past presidents of neighbouring countries.
A big number followed the proceedings from outside the venue, millions more in homes.
The State had declared Tuesday a public holiday to enable Kenyans to pay their last respects to the man who ruled them for 24 years. Mr Moi died last week at 95. “I was engulfed in a sense of sadness and loss,” President Uhuru Kenyatta said of Moi’s demise.
However, for a number of businesses, a whole day of mourning hurt revenues and profits as they remained shut.
At an annual production (gross domestic product) of Sh8.6 trillion in 2019, Kenyans’ collective daily effort is approximately Sh23 billion.
Although some closed shop, it was business as usual for a number of businesses, among them supermarket, clothes dealers, restaurants and vehicle sellers.
“The holiday is not necessary. What will I eat if I take a break from work in these hard economic times?” posed Robinson Kamau, a flower vendor at Nairobi’s City Market.
Eating spots within the City Market operated as usual, as did fish mongers, butcheries, crafts and curio businesses.
Big retail chains such as Tuskys and Naivas remained open within Nairobi’s CBD to tap the few customers who shopped as they took time off work. A spot check showed malls across Nairobi remained open despite low consumer traffic as Kenyans opted to follow the memorial service from the comfort of their homes.
Esther Valentine, a lingerie and baby stuff dealer on Moi Avenue’s Sasa Mall, said customer numbers have dropped in the past few months as shoppers decry cash flow challenges.
“Given that we are currently living from hand-to-mouth, closing the shop due to a public holiday definitely is not a smart move,” she said. Banks were the only notable businesses that remained closed.
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