Chaos as inmates demand release from Covid-19 centre

Chaos rocked the Technical University of Mombasa Covid-19 isolation centre on Madaraka Day as at least 170 inmates demanded immediate release.

The inmates complained of mistreatment, neglect and stigmatisation even by the medical personnel.

“We are negative! Get us out of here!” they chanted as county officials including county chief health officer Khadija Shikely tried in vain to contain them.

They questioned the release of one of them whom they referred to as Jakababa.

They said Jakababa had earlier attempted to escape from the centre, having already scaled several of the barriers before he was cornered and wrestled to the ground by five security guards.

According to the irate inmates, Jakababa was released two days later after contacting one of the doctors.

“How was he released? He found me here but he has been released and I am still here. Why?” demanded one of the inmates.

A circumference in the centre has been marked and christened ‘The Red Zone’ where the inmates cannot go beyond.

However, on Monday they were allowed to cross The Red Zone so as to air their grievances.

According to the inmates, some of them had been at the centre for up to 28 days.

One said his wife died of Covid-19 and he has been at the hospital with his son.

They said the food was horrible, the place unhygienic and the environment sickening.

On Monday morning, Shikely had to call Muslim for Human Rights chair Khelef Khalifa to try and calm the inmates.

Khalifa and his Muhuri team arrived at the centre at around 11am.

“What we found there was total chaos. Some of the inmates were threatening to jump off the third floor window,” said Khalifa.

Wearing sky blue gowns, they said they had been ‘surviving’ on little, tasteless food despite the billions of shillings the Kenya government had received from donors and international development agencies.

“We get strong tea with almost no sugar in the morning. For lunch and supper it is always rice and green grams only,” one of them said.

A woman said they had had no access to sanitary towels.

“We are smelly right now. No man can touch us. This is wrong,” the woman said.

They also complained of delayed test results.

“I have been tested five times all of which have been positive. But I have been mingling with other patients,” one of them admitted.

At least two others said their first tests turned negative but they did not know about their second tests because they had not received their results.

“This area is like a prison. It does not encourage swift recovery, even mentally,” an inmate said.

Two of them said they were the breadwinners of their families and had already received eviction notices.

Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki, who was present, however said he would push the national government to look into the rent issue.

He requested details of those with rent problems.

Muhuri went to court challenging the quarantine and isolation fees.

However, the government has since said it would cover the costs of all those in government quarantine facilities.

Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya Ferry Services evacuated their employees who had been taken to the TUM isolation centre.

“Everyday the national government only announces new cases but they do not announce the problems in the county isolation facilities,” Khalifa said.

He said health was devolved but still the national government withheld all the money.

“Devolve the money, so that when we hear these people complaining they are not eating well like they should, we know who to go to for answers,” Khalifa said.

He said the central government should account for the Covid-19 funds now and not after the pandemic.

“The county government should not fear speaking the truth. I have received complaints from Lamu doctors that they perform operations without surgical masks. What is this?”

He said Muhuri has been forced to sometimes buy personal protective equipment for health workers at the Coast and Garissa counties.

“Where have those PPEs and other donations from Jack Ma and others gone? There is a game being played here,” Khalifa said.

He said the national government should be responsible for payment of rent for those who have been quarantined or isolated because of Covid-19.

Edited by Henry Makori