Isiolo Governor Mohamed Kuti has dismissed as political witch-hunt social media claims that he borrowed Intensive Care Unit and High Dependency Unit kits to pull a public relations trick that the county's referral hospital could handle Covid-19 patients.
Kuti urged social media practitioners to consult relevant government departments for clarification before feeding the public with unverified information.
Social media has been awash with claims that he borrowed ICU and HDU kits from a private hospital to execute a PR stunt that the Isiolo County Referral Hospital was ready to take care of coronavirus patients.
The governor was on April 10 photographed unveiling the equipment at the referral hospital.
Kuti spoke to the press on Thursday after chairing the weekly County Covid-19 Emergency Response Committee meeting in Isiolo town.
He said the equipment, which the Star saw at the Isiolo campus of the Kenya Medical Training College, was supplied by the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS).
“Some politicians are paying local youths handouts to spread unfounded rumours on social media instead of cooperating with the county government and pooling resources to help vulnerable members of the community get food amid the Covid-19 pandemic,” Kuti said.
He asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to unearth those circulating false information on social media.
Isiolo county commissioner Herman Shambi, who co-chairs the Emergency Response Committee with Kuti, warned those peddling lies that the law will soon catch up with them.
He said people should not use of the Covid -19 pandemic to gain political mileage.
The KMTC College has been converted into an isolation ward for likely Covid-19 patients.
The referral hospital has 13 beds (six ICU and seven HDU).
- mwaniki fm