• Quarantined persons argue there would be more trouble with the government’s extension of quarantine period by another 14 days.
• Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Saturday said this will apply for persons in facilities with positive tests for Covid-19.
Image: FILE
Quarantine has been a nightmare for Francis Mwai Njoroge.
Kenya has 142 positive cases and four deaths and the country is desperate to contain it.
However, the government has been less than straightforward and definitely not organised on quarantine for airline arrivals, says one very unhappy chef from Umoja with empty pockets. Maybe if he lived in Karen, it would be different.
Francis Mwai Njoroge has not had a moment's peace since he jetted into the country from Kansas, USA, on the night of Monday, March 23. He had travelled from Kansas City to Washington, DC, then to Nairobi via London.
Njoroge knew about quarantine but thought it would be self-quarantine. No. It was enforced at the Kenya School of Government.
The government had said at first forced quarantine would be free for 14 days. It wasn't.
He and others are refusing to pay.
Njoroge told the Star his story by phone. He just walks around Room 201 but there's no TV. After three days his brother brought him a change of clothes.
He admits the room and food aren't bad. All quarantined people are called down to get their food. Social distancing?
This is his story so far:
Two days before his arrival, the government ordered JKIA closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Njoroge said the government's treatment of him and others, crowded together, exposed them to the risk of disease.
The traveller cited how they were handled in a congested enclosure at the airport, bundled into crowded buses and forced to stay with no social distancing outside rooms at the quarantine centre.
He argues there would be more trouble with the government’s extension of the quarantine period by another 14 days.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Saturday said this will apply for persons in facilities who test positive.
The Health Ministry has sent a memo on the extension to heads of directorates and those in charge of the quarantine sites.
Kenya's positive cases are largely from quarantine facilities at various schools and hotels.
The Health Ministry said since those housed there have had close contacts and interactions with positive cases, they won’t go home.
Officials said they have not maintained optimal social distancing, prescribed hygiene measures and could have contracted the virus.
“It is therefore impossible to determine whether they are actually safe to be released into the general population,” the April 3 memo reads.
“They should maintain social distance, hygiene measures and limit interactions during the period after which a repeat testing for Covid-19 will be undertaken.”
Mwai's 14 days are expiring tomorrow. Now quarantine goes on.
A video emerged on Sunday showing government officials arguing with quarantined persons about payment.
The lot is heard scolding KSG directors not to compare the Kenyan situation with Uganda that took draconian steps.
“Those countries you are mentioning are taking care of their citizens without asking them to pay.”
“It is stupid for us to come here and be asked to pay for being housed in a government facility. We have refused. We can’t pay. We won’t pay.”
There is growing criticism of the state’s decision to charge Covid-19 returnees for their quarantine.
Quarantined persons at Pride Inn Azure wrote to Kagwe on Sunday condemning the blanket orders extending their stay. They cited the poor state of accommodations and poor communication by the government.
Njoroge says the trouble stems from the fact the government reneged on its promise to let them stay at the Kenya School of Government for free.
He told the Star that this was a precondition they gave after the state removed from the table an earlier agreement for self-quarantine.
The chef says he was ready for self-quarantine after they were briefed about it in London.
"I have no cash and no one lives in my house at Umoja Estate," he said.
“On reaching JKIA, we were given another form – similar to the one we filled in at London, but with a carbon copy. It had the option of self-quarantine.”
Those who arrived that night were, therefore, allowed to go home on condition they reported to the Kenya Medica Training College, MTC campus near KNH, the following day at 11am.
“They (officials) took the white form and left us with the pink copy. However, another officer came and collected them.”
This was to check those who would have skipped going to KMTC.
While at JKIA, the chef says government officers said there were options of self-quarantine, going to a hotel at one’s cost, or a government facility.
“We were released to go home and report at KMTC the following day. Since I wanted to know my status before meeting my family, I longed to go.”
Njoroge says before leaving his house, he figured out what he’d need as provisions for the 14-day self-quarantine.
He arrived at KMTC by 10am and was received by an officer who asked if he had reported for quarantine.
“I left home with nothing but the hope of getting back after the tests. I decided that I’d go early, get screened and back before the place was crowded.”
He says that before they left the airport, the pink copies of their self-quarantine applications were seized - to track those who would have skipped KMTC.
After he got to KMTC, the chef was shown to a space at a parking lot where he stayed until about 11.30am when a police officer came to count them.
“Police kept counting us. At around 12pm, I asked what would happen when there would be a crowd. The officer said there was a meeting to decide our fate.”
“We were later informed that there are rooms at KMTC being prepared for us to stay for at least three days.”
“I was just the way I came. Nobody gave us a clue that we needed to carry extra clothing. I was perplexed.”
“We asked why we were being asked to stay at KMTC for three days yet the government agreed with us on self-quarantine.”
“We argued and self-quarantine was removed off the table. People became angry and government officers stopped answering our questions.”
“Another official came and told us we will only go home after he says. He claimed to have told us of a mandatory 14-day state quarantine,” Njoroge said.
He said they were asked to sign the option of being accommodated at Boma Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, and Pride Inn, Westlands.
They were told the cost ranged between Sh4,000 to Sh8,000 per day while some rooms were going for Sh12,000.
“I didn’t sign because I don’t have the Sh56,000. We agreed that we would be housed at the Kenya School of Government at no cost.”
“I reminded them we wouldn’t pay and they accepted. I had told them I was ready to sleep at the KMTC corridors.”
“Someone asked where they were being taken yet they have no money. A KSG official rudely told me that I have pockets.”
He said he was not allowed access to his medication for high blood pressure until two days later when his brother was allowed to bring it.
“I reminded them of my medicine. I told them to handcuff me to go pick my meds. An officer called Susan took me to a doctor who only gave me five tablets.”
Mwai says his account mirrors the disgraceful situation persons in quarantine have been subjected to by their own government.