How Covid-19 patient travelled from Nairobi to Homa Bay for burial of an empty coffin
Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, has warned Kenyans who are breaking the law by inventing devious means to move from Nairobi to other counties, saying that if found they will be arrested.
This is after one person who has tested positive for coronavirus disease was arrested by police in Homa Bay after travelling from Nairobi with a group of friends in a private vehicle claiming that they were heading for a burial.
The coffin was later confirmed to be empty by police in Homa Bay who were suspicious of the individuals
“The governor of Homa Bay informed me this morning of a group of people who travelled from Nairobi in a private vehicle, pretending that they were attending a funeral fully equipped with an empty coffin. To illustrate that they were mourners,” said Mr Kagwe.
He added: “They travelled from Nairobi during this period that we have stopped movement from Nairobi. They travelled all the way to Homa Bay and thanks to the governor’s authority and administration somebody got suspicious. And on opening the coffin found out that it was empty. They were immediately put into quarantine and today I can confirm that the driver is positive.”
Kagwe also noted with concern that persons in quarantine are now resorting to bribing themselves out of the quarantine facilities.
BRIBERY
Persons engaging in such activities, including the ones letting them off, will face the full force of the law, the CS said.
“I am aware for example in the county of Mandera, and this has been confirmed to me by the governor, that there are people who bribe their way out of quarantine. Both those who did that and those who let them off will face the full force of the law,” he said.
Truck drivers smuggling people from one restricted area to another have also been put on notice.
“We have also noted that there are people not complying with the movement restrictions in and out of counties and even from neighbouring countries. On this I want to caution truck drivers whom, I am informed are smuggling people from one restricted area to another. I want to tell such irresponsible persons that they are rolling back our efforts to fight this disease,” the CS said.