This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has broken his silence on claims that he paid Pastor Robert Burale to fake COVID-19 infection. The allegations surfaced after Burale announced on July 6, 2020, that he had tested positive for COVID-19 through his Facebook page and an interview with Radio Maisha's Massawe Japani.
Speaking in Mombasa during a routine COVID-19 update on July 9, 2020, CS Kagwe refuted the claims, stating that he did not know who Pastor Burale was or why he would lie about contracting the deadly disease.
"I have never heard of this guy. You are saying he is supposed to have been paid, by who? I don’t know what he is doing. When it comes to issues like rumours, if I were to respond to every rumour I would be very busy," CS Kagwe said.
CS Kagwe clarified that he did not know who would have paid Burale or why he would be pretending to have COVID-19. He also stated that Burale might be sick, but the public had decided that he was not.
On July 6, 2020, Pastor Burale had announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was being treated at Nairobi Hospital. He stated that he had fought for his life for two days under the great care of the doctors and nurses at the hospital.
However, an Instagram video sparked uproar after he was seen dressed in a t-shirt and cap, with netizens arguing that the appearance was less convincing for someone who was on oxygen in an ICU. Burale later clarified that he was not under intensive care, but rather in an isolation ward.
