Nairobi MCAs on Tuesday observed a minute of silence to honour the fallen leaders Kenya has lost within the last five days.
Majority Whip Waithera Chege requested the acting county assembly speaker Chege Mwaura to allow the house to honor the fallen leaders.
“Mr Speaker, as Nairobi we have lost our own leader from Kibera and the people of Bomet have lost a mother. The least we can do is observe a moment of silence,” she said.
Kibra MP Ken Okoth and Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso both passed away after battling cancer.
Nominated MCA Emily Oduor said that the country has lost two iconic leaders who had great visions for Kenyans.
Chairlady of the county assembly women caucus Doris Kanario urged the assembly’s Implementation Committee to push the executive to consider the Cancer motion which was passed last week on the recommendation to establish cancer centres and screening in county hospitals.
“One member in the house is also currently fighting the battle against cancer therefore it is our battle too ,” she said.
Waithera Chege, the South B MCA, also called upon Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko to implement the cancer motion passed by the assembly a week ago so that Nairobi residents can start screening.
“I also urge Our beloved president to declare cancer a national disaster,” she said.
Last week, the MCAs called on the executive to set up cancer screening and testing centres across major health facilities to aid in early detection of the disease.
This came after the ward representatives passed a motion imploring the county government to come up with such special centres to help in early detection and mitigation of cancer for effective control.
Karura MCA Joseph Wambugu – the mover of the Caner Testing and Prevention motion adopted by the County Assembly last week Thursday – said that prevention and screening has proved to be the best long term strategy for cancer control.
He observed that treatment and care of cancer patients still remains a great challenge due to the financial demands with inadequate treatment facilities.
“We urge the county government to set up cancer screening and prevention centers across major county health facilities to help in early detection and mitigation of the deadly disease. You remember how the initiative of VCTs brought major impact during HIV epidemic in the country,”he said.
