Nairobi County Assembly suspends sittings for 30 days over Covid-19
The Nairobi County Assembly has suspended its plenary sittings for 30 days following the continued threat posed by the fast spreading coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country.
Speaker Beatrice Elachi, in a statement, said that foreign travel by MCAs and assembly staff has also been suspended indefinitely as the country grapples with the growing cases of the virus.
Elachi, however, said special sittings may be called in case of any compeling need but the assembly board shall put in place stringent mechanisms to ensure health of MCAs and assembly staff is not put at risk during such sittings.
“Due to the unprecedented nature of this emergency, which is not anticipated in our Standing Orders, plenary sittings shall stand suspended for the next 30 days beginning tomorrow (Tuesday). All staff are also asked to stay away from precincts of the Assembly,” said the speaker.
Elachi added that visits to the assembly by schools and other groups either local or international have also been suspended forthwith.
She intimated the decision was arrived at after a meeting by the Assembly’s Business Committee, which is the committee that schedules business for the assembly and prepares the assembly’s calendar, meeting today afternoon.
“Members and staff who within the past 14 days have returned to the country from destinations in which cases of coronavirus cases have been reported are asked to self-quarantine or seek medical check up,” she said.
As part of sanitary measures put in place by the assembly to curb the spread of the disease, the former nominated senator said the office of the clerk has been advised to provide adequate sanitisers and institute higher hygenienic standards within the assembly.
This is in addition to the assembly collaborating with the Ministry of Health to fight the global pandemic.
“The assembly urges well wishers who may be willing to donate sanitary wares such as sanitisers to avail the same to MCAs for distribution to Nairobi residents in their wards. The ward representatives are also urged to sensitise residents on how to prevent the spread of the virus, ” said Elachi.
The Speaker further noted that the assembly had already dispensed with urgent business particularly the ratification of the Deed of Transfer of functions from the County Government to National Government.
However, she indicated that the County Assembly Public Service Board will also be monitoring the situation and shall be communicating new measures taken as the situation unfolds.
The assembly was set to break for a two-week recess on Thursday.