• The leaders have come out to express their happiness and relief after they successfully completed 14-days self-quarantine or tested negative for the virus.
• Some of them had visited Europe, the worst hit continent on the globe by the virus, and had been holding their breath in their quarantine rooms for the last two weeks.
Several politicians and government officials who arrived in Kenya recently from coronavirus-hit countries and were quarantined can breathe easy after they tested negative for Covid-19 at the end of their isolation.
The leaders have come out to express their happiness and relief after they successfully completed 14-days of self-quarantine or tested negative for the virus.
Some of them had been to Europe, which is now the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The virus has so far claimed the lives of more than 20,000 people globally. More than 300,000 people have been infected since the outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December.
Eldas MP Adan Keynan, his Taita Taveta counterpart Naomi Shaban and Senators Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) and George Khaniri (Vihiga) are some of the leaders who have completed the quarantine without showing any signs of the disease.
The lawmakers visited London on official business between March 6 and 11 when they returned home.
“I have completed the 14 days mandatory self-quarantine following my return from the UK on March 6. My thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by Covid-19,” Keynan, who is a commissioner with the Parliamentary Service Commission, said.
He thanked God for keeping him safe and his family, constituents and well-wishers for prayers and companionship.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi kicked out Keynan from the chamber after members demanded that he leaves as he had just arrived from the UK, one of the European countries with many coronavirus cases.
Khaniri had not shown any symptoms of Covid-19 since he returned from London on March 11.
He dismissed media reports that he was in the same flight on March 9 with a person who was confirmed to have contracted the virus from the UK.
“I arrived in the country on Wednesday, March 11, from London on official duty of the Parliamentary Service Commission,” Khaniri said.
On March 17, panic gripped Parliament after Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen said some members had travelled in the same plane as the infected person.
Cheruiyot took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce his successful completion of self-quarantine.
“Woke up with a heart filled with joy. Cleared 14th day with no issue. It’s a tough season for every human being. Let us observe the health rules. Pray, remain hopeful and together we shall definitely win,” he posted.
In Kilifi, Lands CAS Gideon Mung'aro announced he had tested negative for the virus. Mung'aro had come into contact with Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi who tested positive for the virus on Sunday.
Mung'aro said he came into contact with Saburi on March 7 during a funeral in Kambe-Ribe in the county.
“The Ministry of Health visited my home yesterday, March 23, and collected specimens. Today, March 24, I received the results which revealed I tested negative for the virus,” he said.
He said he will continue to self-quarantine until he completes the mandatory 14-day guideline issued by the government.
The government has introduced mandatory quarantine for people travelling from the affected countries or who have come into close contract with Covid-19 patients.
Edited by fm