The ministries of Interior and Health should ban all political gatherings to curb the spread of the coronavirus, ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi has said.
Mudavadi said the meetings seem to be exposing vulnerable Kenyans, especially those in the rural areas, to the risk of contracting Covid-19.
Politicians and some civil servants, including Cabinet secretaries, have been engaging in public events in disregard for Covid-19 regulations, he said.
He said the gatherings might turn out to expose “thousands, if not millions, of Kenyans” to the virus whose vaccine has yet to be found.
“This virus is a deadly virus and we need to take serious precautions that will help us protect ourselves and our loved ones who may get infected and probably die,” he added.
Mudavadi said that the Western Kenya region, where heightened political gatherings have been experienced, could be vulnerable. He said Ministry of Health protocols have been ignored by many of the leaders meeting residents.
“It looks like there is a political gold rush in Western Kenya. We have seen governors, Cabinet secretaries and other elected leaders camping in the region day in day out. What is it that is in Western Kenya, yet the general election is in 2022?” the ANC party leader posed.
Cabinet secretaries Peter Munya (Agriculture), James Macharia (Transport) and Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution) have been hosted in the region by its governors.
Mudavadi said many locals have been crowding as they meet leaders and have also not been social distancing, wearing masks, sanitising.
“The lives of the people of Western Kenya matter just as lives of all other Kenyans. These heightened political activities in Western Kenya should stop now.
“Even as I aspire to become president through the will of Kenyans, I would not want to be the president of mass graves,” Mudavadi said.
On Monday, Senator Irungu Kang’ata confessed on an NTV show that some leaders were using tricks like distributing masks and sanitiser to hold public meetings.
Sources have indicated that President Uhuru Kenyatta has recalled all CSs who were out of Nairobi and banned all tours by top civil servants.
(edited by o. owino)
