List of leaders in quarantine after contact with Saburi
Several leaders and 16 police officers from Kilifi who came into direct contact with Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi, who has tested positive for covid-19, are among dozens who have gone into self quarantine.
They include Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, Rabai MP William Kamoti, Lands Chief Administrative Secretary Gideon Mung’aro, Mtwapa deputy OCS Bernard Otomei, who developed breathing difficulties yesterday, and Base Commander Mathew Koech.
Separately, six Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers in Mombasa are also reported to have gone into isolation after they allegedly came into contact with two French nationals reported to have tested positive to Covid-19.
On Sunday, Kingi confirmed that he had gone into self quarantine.
“I also had the emergency response team visit me at my home to collect specimen for testing.
I got my results and they turned negative,” the governor said “Despite turning negative, coronavirus protocols dictate that I continue with self quarantine till the expiry of the mandatory 14 days. I will fully comply.”
Mung’aro and Kamoti, who came into contact with Saburi, who the government said would be arrested for risking lives of Kenyans, checked themselves in a Mombasa hospital with respiratory complications.
The Rabai MP was among the first people to come into contact with Saburi shortly after his arrival from Germany.
1,000 people
Kamoti and some Members of the County Assembly accompanied him to the burial of the bodyguard of former Kilifi Deputy Governor the late Kenneth Kamto on March 7.
Saburi also attended several public gatherings including burials and weddings where he interacted with at least 1,000 people, according to source privy to his movements.
In one of the burials he attended, he was photographed with Mung’aro. Both Mung’aro and Kamoti could not be reached as their phones were switched off.
The two police officer reportedly met Saburi at Tuskys Mall in Mtwapa on March 20 for two hours.
More than 14 other junior officers who came into contact with the two police bosses have also gone into self-quarantine.
Tension is high at the Dog unit Police station after officers discovered that a GK vehicle that was used by Saburi and his driver had been parked at the police station since Tuesday last week.
Mtwapa OCS Shauline Lesariyo wrote a statement to the Inspector General of Police explaining the circumstances under which the two met the deputy governor.
“One of the officers is complaining of difficulties in breathing and now they have been put under self-quarantine awaiting for test to be conducted by public health officers from Kilifi,” he said.
Saburi’s refusal to quarantine himself has sparked anger across the country, with many terming his actions as reckless and selfish.
James Mulei, an employee of the Kilifi County Government, said Saburi’s displayed of ignorance, saying he shook hands with several staff members during a Cabinet meeting at the County offices on March 16.
“We shook hands at the office on Monday. He is a killer, how could he do that?” posed Mulei in a video.
He said Saburi’s refused to self quarantine even after he was advised by his boss Governor Kingi to proceed on 30 days leave.
Murang’a five
“Now he has forced us to go in quarantine. Do you know how expensive quarantine is? The dangers we pose to our families back at home. He is a killer and I don’t regret using these words,” he states.
In Murang’a, at least 29 people believed to have come into contact with people who arrived from abroad, have been put in isolation.
Governor Mwangi Wa Iria said about five people who have been living in the US, Dubai, Qatar and Italy joined their families in Murang’a but most of them had defied the self quarantine orders.
“We have managed to get four of them. Only the one from Italy is still at large,” said the governor.
In Mombasa, a director of a security firm has also been forced into quarantine for allegedly failing to go into the mandatory 14-day isolation after returning from the US.
He is alleged to have arrived in Kenya last Thursday and reported to work on Friday. —Reporting by Reuben Mwambingu, Sophie Njoka and Wangari Njuguna
