- Out of 126 staff tested a week ago, 32 tested positive. Sources told the Star that some MCAs avoided being tested.
- The county government headquarters will remain closed over the pandemic scare.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Kakamega county assembly sittings will remain suspended and ward representatives will instead have virtual meetings.
The assembly sittings were suspended three weeks ago over a Covid-19 scare.
On Tuesday, speaker Morris Buluma said it was dangerous to hold physical sittings because 32 assembly staffers tested positive for the virus.
He said the assembly leadership was working on logistics for members to transact house business through virtual meetings.
"Virtual meetings are the safest. We tried last week and it worked. We cannot resume physical sittings unless everyone is tested because even the Ministry of Health does not want those in isolation to interact with others," Buluma said.
Out of 128 staff tested a week ago, 32 tested positive. Sources told the Star that some MCAs gave the testing a wide berth.
The assembly suspended sittings on November 9 and asked the county general hospital to test the workers and MCAs after a number of them tested positive for the virus.
County assembly clerk Laban Atemba said, "Sittings will only resume after all staff have been tested. We don't want to expose MCAs and staff to the danger of contracting the virus."
Meanwhile, the county government headquarters will remain closed.
Governor Wycliffe Oparanya announced on November 10 that the county offices would remain closed for 10 days.
County secretary Jacinta Aluoch on November 20 announced in a circular an extension of the closure of the headquarters and containment measures.
“This is to inform you that the county headquarters remains closed for an additional seven days effective November 23, 2020," the circular reads.
"During this period, the public service and administration department is tasked to ensure that there is adequate provision of detergents, sanitiser, handwashing points and thermo guns for enhanced safety and hygiene at the headquarters.”
However, the provision of essential services would continue uninterrupted. Daily 7am meetings with chief officers, subcounty administrators and municipal managers on containment measures for Covid-19 will also continue.
Operations at the Finance department located at the headquarters will continue uninterrupted with staff working in shifts. All other offices not domiciled at the headquarters would remain open.