Love of money major setback in war against Covid-19

The quest for allowances, love of face-to-face meetings, failure to isolate after showing Covid-19 symptoms, bar meetings and not observing Ministry of Health guidelines are fuelling infections and fatalities among county government and assembly officials.

From insisting on in-person meetings to get allowances, to retreats and meetings in coronavirus-hit areas, many bureaucrats in the devolved units are now paying the price as lives are lost, with more infected.

Mombasa, Kisumu, Nairobi, Bungoma, Vihiga, Trans Nzoia, Turkana, Uasin Gishu, Kilifi, Homa Bay and a host of other counties have been hit hard by the virus.

More than a dozen counties are battling a wave of infections among executives and assembly officials as it emerges many have disregarded safety guidelines and failed to isolate or seek treatment on showing Covid-19 signs.

“Due to the surge in Covid-19 cases, more than eight county assemblies have been shut. Sixteen counties have closed facilities while others have scaled down operations,” Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said during a virtual summit last week.

Several ward representatives and county assembly workers are down with the illness in Nairobi.

Assembly Health Committee Chairman Peter Warutere blames the rapid spread of the virus on the casual manner ward reps and assembly staff go about their business.

Contributing factor

“The predominant factor is the interactions at the assembly. Social distance rules are not being observed. We would not be having the infections or they could be few had the regulations set by the Ministry of Health been obeyed. I intend to raise the matter at the assembly,” he said.

The Roysambu ward representative added that physical meetings among leaders in and outside the assembly are also contributing to the problem.

He pointed to retreats and committee meetings, “which though important for oversight, could be a contributing factor and should go virtual”.

Representatives still conduct physical committee meetings and workshops outside the capital, the latest being the ICT team, whose members landed from Mombasa last week.

“We must address this matter as people who are expected to lead from the front. We have to say it as it is. We have already lost three ward representatives to the virus. Should we wait until we lose 100 to start taking the pandemic seriously?” he posed. 

Proceedings of the county assembly in Mombasa have been postponed for another week again after more staff were confirmed to have contracted Covid-19.

The assembly was closed two weeks ago when seven ward reps and a worker tested positive for the virus. It was to resume sittings on Tuesday.

Deputy Speaker Fadhili Makarani said the premises would continue being closed and guarded after the results that came on Friday showed more workers have coronavirus.

“Six employees have the virus. That’s why the assembly precincts should remain out of bounds,” Mr Makarani said. 

Batting the virus

Homa Bay county is the latest victim of the growing Covid-19 load in its executive following the death on Monday of Communications Director Maurice Aluoch, amid reports of an executive, his personal assistant and a bodyguard testing positive for the virus.

As a result, operations at the county government headquarters and assembly have been shut for two weeks.

It has emerged that most of those batting the virus took part in a meeting two weeks ago. One of the participants died while being treated at a private hospital in Homa Bay town.

Failing to isolate and seek medical attention in good time by people exhibiting coronavirus symptoms at the Kisii and Nyamira county governments and assemblies have led to the surge in cases. 

Many whose close contacts tested positive for the virus do not go into isolation, risking the health of the people they interact with.

Several county government and assembly workers have tested positive for the virus, with some dying.

County government staff continue to hold in-person meetings, a problem compounded by the Mashujaa Day fete at Gusii stadium last month.

A circular by Nyamira county government on Monday directed staff to work from home for 14 days.

Operations at Kakamega county headquarters and the assembly ground to a halt when coronavirus cases were reported two weeks ago.

Mr Oparanya said some workers expose themselves to infections by frequenting crowded social joints.

In Nakuru, Hells Gate ward rep John Njenga, popularly known as Wa Sussy, died of coronavirus-related complications on Monday. 

Report by: Tom Matoke, Collins Omulo, Barnabas Bii, Wycliffe Kipsang, Brian Ojamaa, Gerald Bwisa, Flora Koech, Evans Kipkura, Sammy Lutta, Phyllis Musasia, Geoffrey Ondieki, Steve Njuguna, Francis Mureithi, Waikwa Maina, Siago Cece, Benson Amadala, Ruth Mbula, George Odiwuor, Ian Byron, Manase Otsialo, Alex Njeru and Waweru Wairimu