Governor Nyoro politicises humanitarian aide on Covid-19 fight in Kiambu, blocks charity aide for the poor

Beleaguered Kiambu governor James Nyoro has blocked humanitarian activities targeting to cushion the most vulnerable from the Covid-19 effects by outlawing fumigation of markets and other high risk areas voluntarily provided by charitable organisations.

Effectively, the poor and the less privileged in Kiambu County will no longer enjoy the mitigation measures putting their health, businesses and livelihoods to obscurity and inevitable impoverishment.

Nyoro’s directive comes barely a fortnight after he was at pains to explain alleged misappropriation of over Sh300 million allocated combat the pandemic through dubious tendering and irregular payments of health workers’ salaries and allowances before the Senate Health Committee

The glaring graft plot was exposed by a special audit report on Covid funds expenditure, now a subject of probe by the committee.

“The Health Services Department in Kiambu County has noted with great concern a rise in the number of people/ institutions who are undertaking fumigation activities within Kiambu County…The department of health services is to give clearance to all authorised people/ institutions as far as fumigation is concerned through the officer of the Sub County MoH (Ministry of Health) and Sub County Public Health Office.” A circular issued to all Sub County MoH’s dated April 20, 2021 reads in part.

Impeccable sources privy with the scheme allegedly intended to advance political agenda intimated that the Kiambu County Chief Officer for Health Dr Patrick Nyaga made issued the directive after a lengthy session with the embattled governor.

“The governor feels politically threatened by the charitable activities that have been running since March 2020 when Covid-19 pandemic struck. At least three foundations have been fumigation high risk areas like markets and bus parks as mitigation measures to cushion businesses from closure and reduce infection rate.” A source who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed.

Effectively, all fumigation activities within the county be authorized by health services department vide notice Ref. No.:KCG/COH/VOL III/616.

Additionally, the county health department instructed that all fumigation activities should be supervised by the respective Sub County PHOs to ensure that the chemicals being used are known, reconstitution of the chemicals is followed to the letter.

“…and also, to ensure the expiry dates of the same are well checked. Thus the respective companies/ people undertaking fumigation activities should ensure that they undertake the activities, supervision is done,” read the memo.

The Sub County Health Ministry and Primary Health Officer (PHO) were instructed to ensure compliance with the immediate effect.

Nyoro has been riling from political isolation from his backyard making him a political lone ranger since late last year when all elected local leaders gave the much-hyped Kiambu Interdenominational Prayers meeting a wide berth with only a handful of attending.

Nyoro had convened the meeting at Ndumberi Stadium to seek divine intervention for the county which has been embroiled in endless leadership wrangles as well as an upsurge of the Covid-19 pandemic turned out as a congregation of the clergy, a section of MCA, Ward Administrators and the county executive.

Save for Kiambu Town MP Jude Njomo who hosted all the other area MPs including Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu), Patrick Wainaina (Thika Town), Peter Mwathi (Limuru), Jonah Mburu (Lari), Githua  Wamacukuru (Kabete), Simon King’ara (Ruiru) Wanjiku Kibe (Gatundu North), Gabriel Kago (Githunguri) and Moses Kuria (Gatundu South) boycotted the event despite having been invited.

A large dome mounted on the ground was virtually empty with sources intimating that locals were either not properly mobilised or were following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ban on social gathering amid the apparent increase of Covid-19 positive cases.

Nyoro who downplayed the poor turnout said that the clergy will lead in conducting civic education on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) which he asked locals to support.