This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
On May 7, 2020, the Embu county assembly raised concerns over the prudent use of Sh29 million allocated for COVID-19 pandemic control.
Minority leader Masters Mwaniki led the call for equitable provision of free facemasks, hand sanitizers, and washing points at public places in all wards using the available financial resources.
However, the assembly noted that a recent donation of 20,000 facemasks by Mozzart Betting Company was only distributed around Embu town, sparking allegations of unfair distribution.
According to Morris Muchiri, an MCA from Kirimari ward, some individuals in the county government politicized the mask distribution exercise, issuing the protective items to their cronies and selling the rest at a profit.
Majority leader Michael Njeru acknowledged the challenges faced by elected leaders in managing COVID-19 funds, citing the Sh2 billion allocated by President Uhuru Kenyatta for coronavirus mitigation.
Newton Kariuki, an MCA from Muminji, called for quality checks on the masks supplied by wellwishers to ensure they meet recommended standards.
