Lam said today she would not run again for chief executive

After five years, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has thrown in the towel. Today she announced she would not seek a second term, and will retire.

"I will not run in the sixth chief executive elections," Lam said. "In other words, I will complete my five-year chief executive term on June 30, and will officially end my 42-year career in government."

Twitter went nuts as soon as she made this statement, ending years of speculation if she would or wouldn't try to extend her term. In the end she cited family reasons for stepping down.

Lam victorious on election day in 2017

"They all thought it was time for me to come home," she said.

What is Lam going to do? She is a self-professed workaholic who is known for micromanaging. Maybe she'll spend the next few months counting all the cash she had stashed around Government House but after that, then what? Knitting? Gardening? Hard to imagine her being a homebody.

But it is a relief to know she will not be continuing as Chief Executive, but at the same time, the next leader will be just as hamstrung by Beijing.

Her time as chief executive has definitely left Hong Kong worse off than how it was five years ago. Most memorably was her proposal of the extradition bill in 2019 which led to millions of people protesting in the streets.

She did not heed her own election promise to step down if she did not have the support of the people. Instead the police were unleashed in a bid to quell the protests which resulted in many residents' hatred of the authorities which led to some violent clashes and the horrific attacks at the Yuen Long MTR station on July 21, 2019, and also in Prince Edward MTR station on August 31 that year.

Extradition bill sparked millions into the streets

None of these incidents were ever fully investigated or the police held accountable for their actions.

A year later Lam brought in the national security law, and that sparked another upheaval. Over 10,000 people were arrested, including lawmakers, activists, and students. Then Apple Daily was shut down, with owner Jimmy Lai Chee-ying arrested, and other pro-democracy media or outlets critical of the government closed down out of fear.

Civil society groups and unions also shuttered, either because of threats from the national security bureau or not wanting to have trouble.

Events like the candlelight vigil on June 4 that were commemorated for 30 years were suddenly considered illegal, and even the statue that memorialised it was taken down in pieces and taken away. Any slogans related to it were literally whitewashed.

And then the coronavirus pandemic erupted in Wuhan in January 2020 and soon made its way to Hong Kong.

Police seemed to collude with men in white shirts

At first Lam's administration was praised for managing to keep the virus out of the city, but two years in, fatigue started to set in, people tired of the social-distancing restrictions that seemed more political than scientific. How come playgrounds, sports grounds and beaches are shut when people should really be exercising outdoors and improving their mental health?

Even though Lam said she told Beijing she would not seek re-election, this fifth wave has done her in, being several steps behind Omicron and not being more insistent on vaccinating the elderly, which led to some 200 deaths a day, and over 50,000 cases for a few days.

Today there are 3,138 cases and less than 100 deaths, but not without the government continuing to insist mass testing will be held at some point, anti-epidemic kits being distributed, and such strict social-distancing measures that many sectors like restaurants, gyms, salons, and entertainment venues are in the verge of closing or have already shut, unable to financially sustain themselves.

And not to mention eliminating all opposition from the Legislative Council so that Hong Kong is governed by patriots.

Lam was caught flatfooted in fifth wave

Lam has completely and irrevocably changed the city for the worse -- even the pro-Beijing camp would agree. The next leader, while having an easy ride in Legco, will have a formidable task of reigniting Hong Kong's economy, though it will never be what it was like before 2019.

The sixth CE will have to drag the city closer to the mainland through the Greater Bay Area, but are Hongkongers ready for this? Is there even a game plan?

In the meantime Hongkongers cannot wait to see Lam finish her term in a few months. Where she will reside during her retirement is now up for speculation. Can she even stay in Hong Kong afterwards? Maybe she should pick up knitting and gardening after all...