“It’s such a shame” – Murang’a senator protests cancellation of medical camps in Murang’a
Murang'a senator Irungu Kang'ata has protested the move by the county government to suspend his medical camps in the area.
The senator said he got a letter from the Executive Officer for Health Joseph Mbai in which he was told not to organize any medical camps until further notice due to the ongoing Corona pandemic.
Addressing the press in Murang'a, the senator said the move was ill-advised and thousands of people who rely on the camps will suffer.
He said he has been organizing a series of medical camps to complement the government's effort in providing health care to the locals yet it's being turned into a political weapon.
"I feel this is a personal war being directed towards me but it is very wrong because it will make people suffer" he said.
Kang'ata said people have been flocking various centres to seek medical attention because they are not able to go to health facilities and if they do they don't get drugs.
"The government has not been stocking health facilities with drugs forcing people to buy them at the private outlets but at the camp, they get them free of charge" he remarked.
Kang'ata has issued a 14-day ultimatum for the CEC to withdraw the letter failure to which he shall take legal action against him.
"I will do anything legally possible to have the camps resume because I am doing it for the people and not my personal gains" he said.
The senator said he had already planned for two medical camps on a month's time and would like the cost incurred to be refunded.
"I spend over a million shillings per camp and I get medical donations from friends and well wishers" he said.
He said all the camps have been conducted in adherence to the covid 19 rules and thus no need to have them canceled.
"It's such a shame because people are going to suffer if the camps are suspended," he said.
"I have been holding these medical camps for over ten years and it can be that they have become unpopular at this time" he argued.
He said instead of reprimanding him the county government should join hands in providing better health care to the residents.
