This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
On May 22, 2020, a Jua kali artist from Kitale made headlines for innovating an automated booth for sanitization, a move that has been hailed as a significant contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arthur Okwemba, the innovator, has created a booth that not only sanitizes but also tests body temperatures using a thermo scanner.
"The sanitizing booth is automatic. It senses whenever someone is passing through it to sanitize and also has a thermo scanner to record body temperatures," Okwemba told KNA during an interview at the county government's offices.
According to Okwemba, the booth, which cost him up to KES 350,000, will help screen and sanitize more people, thereby supporting the government's efforts in containing the spread of the virus.
Okwemba has appealed to the government to support innovations like his, which he believes are key to boosting the economy and fighting the pandemic.
Once the booth passes the Bureau of Standards tests, it will be handed over to the county government for use in the screening exercise.
Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba congratulated Okwemba on his innovative idea, stating that his government supports innovations that contribute to the fight against the pandemic.
"This sanitizing booth is a unique project that my government will support, and I am asking more people to join the fight against the corona virus," Governor Khaemba said.
