Mombasa governor Hassan Joho has called on the national government to open up the economy that has suffered the brunt of the corona pandemic since it hit the country back in March last year.

Speaking during the Eid baraza in Majengo, Mombasa, Joho said that time had come for the economy to be fully opened because a lot of people had lost their jobs with the government restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus.

Joho pleaded with his ODM party leader Raila Odinga to talk with his Handshake brother President Uhuru Kenyatta to address the issue as the economy was hurting.

“I’m humbly appealing to you when we engage with the president we ask him to open up the economy, our people are suffering too much,” said Joho.

The governor said that the country has to accept the reality that corona was here to stay and as such people have to learn to leave with it.

He said that the people were now aware of how to protect themselves against the virus and urged leaders to keep on reminding them to follow all Ministry of Health protocols.

He added that doctors had learnt how to deal with the pandemic therefore there was need to ease the restrictions put in place.

“As you can see, our people are fully aware of what they should do to protect themselves against the virus. We will do some extensive work to ensure that they continue putting on masks,” said Joho.

He decried the transport industry that has been hard hit especially with the barn on night travel and the curfew imposed countrywide which has disrupted the 24 hour economy that the country was gearing towards.

He also called on the ministry of health to ensure that it gets enough vaccines for all Kenyans to ensure that Kenyans can be able to move freely.

“We ask the government to look for money and procure vaccines for all Kenyans so that we can fully open our economy,” added Joho.