The Nairobi Metropolitan Service has been allocated Sh 1.025 billion by the County Assembly to help curb the spread of coronavirus .
Through the Supplementary budget 2019-20, the assembly managed to save from various votes Sh 1.025 billion that will be made available to the NMS under the Disaster and Emergency fund to intervene in the crisis.
County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi on Thursday said the team will be expected to utilise the funds comprehensively to address Covid-19 which has made Nairobi a hot spot.
Nairobi City County is one of the most affected. We expect that the funds will be used to purchase sanitisers, masks, and other items for Nairobians as shall be determined by NMS,” she said.
The assembly has called upon the police to be humane in their work as they enforce guidelines.
“We call upon Nairobians to respect and uphold the Ministry of Health guidelines and rules made by the National Government to combat this virus,” Elachi said.
Nairobi county is a hot spot for transmission of the coronavirus. The country has 110 cases with majority of the victims within the capital.
The assembly had met for a special meeting on Thursday , where the House instituted several interventions both in terms of policy and legislative measures to help in addressing Covid-19.
On March 17, Elachi suspended assembly sittings f0r 30 days to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Early this week, the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company announced reforms in equitable distribution of water.
This will see residents in three informal settlements - Kibera, Mathare and Mukuru kwa Njenga - receive water five times a week.
Also, at least 20 boreholes will be sunk throughout the county and water redistributed.
Targeted areas include Utawala, Matopeni, Mihang’o, Ruai, Kayole, Gatina, Kibera, Mathare, Kangemi, Riruta/Satellite and Mukuru.
In partnership with the Athi River Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) and Nairobi Water, 800 handwashing points are currently being installed across the county.
In addition to that, 60 water tanks will be distributed for public toilets and police stations.
Water bowsers will also be used to pump water to the facilities to ensure there is no shortage.
