There is mounting uproar and outrage amongst hotel owners in the city protesting against Nairobi county health professionals in the public health sector over alleged harassment and extortion tendencies whom the claim are being protected by senior county executive officials and a Member of the Nairobi County Assembly (MCA) involvement in the criminal blackmail syndicate.
The traders claim the uncscruplous officials from the exective wing are enjoying backing from one of the MCAs in the Nairobi County Assembly.
The stakeholders claim they are being forced into unethical standards targeting especially restaurant owners with threats of closure unless they pay bribes.
According to the Association of Public Health Officers Kenya (APHOK), the officials and MCA have been using their positions to manipulate enforcement actions against restaurant businesses for their gain.
Addressing the media yesterday APHOK Secretary General Mohamed Duba said several public officers have been threatened by the said MCA and executive officials who he alleged are extorting the traders.
Duba stated that the officers who are tasked to enforce public health regulations are instead closing the restaurants, only to reopen them after they collect bribes from the business owners.
He noted that the extortion tactics have created hostility for health officers who are caught between professional duties and pressure from corrupt officials.
The particular mode of operation of the MCA is soliciting bribes from public health officers and technicians employed by the county under the pretext of offering protection from transfers within the county. Whoever does not comply with their demands is labeled as non-performer and therefore transferred with immediate effect.” Duba stated.
“These MCA and County officials are undermining our integrity. They are taking advantage and frustrating business owners with closure and when they receive bribes they reopen the businesses.” He added.
“It is not only unethical but also illegal as it puts the health and safety of the public at risk.” He said.
Public experts warn that manipulation of enforcement actions not only harms businesses but also compromises the enforcement of critical health standards.
A high-end Chinese restaurant located at Lavington has been the recent victim of rogue officers who closed it without giving a reason and later opened it after they were given a bribe.
Trattoria restaurant located in the Nairobi CBD has also been a victim of threats by the MCAs and executive officials with the owner of the restaurant claiming they collude with the owner of the building.
APHOK has called on the Sakaja-led administration to take charge of the regulation of restaurants in Nairobi and reign on the rogue MCA and other executive officials.
“We call upon governor Sakaja to take swift actions and take disciplinary actions against these people. We also call upon the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Authority (EACC) to carry out investigations on their conduct.” They reiterated.
On the contrary, Nairobi City County Government Chief Officer in charge of Public Health Tom Nyakaba said he is not aware of the said allegations and that investigations will be soon launched.
“I’m not aware of such allegations. None of them has been reported as either harassment or interference. My office will launch investigations into the matter and actions be taken through I have not received any official complaint from the said premises.” Nyakaba stated.
The Chairman Sectorial Committee on Health also said that his committee has been working to restore sanity in the restaurants and he is not aware of the allegations.
This comes weeks after recently a report by the health committee revealed that a huge number of the restaurant’s fake food handling certificates putting the lives of consumers at risk.
