This archive report was first published on 25 May 2020.
Published on May 25, 2020, a report by The Standard highlighted the reckless behavior of 74 members of the Nakuru County Assembly. The assembly members converged at a Naivasha hotel for a Covid-19 seminar, defying guidelines and regulations put in place by the Ministry of Health to contain the spread of the virus.
According to a senior official, the members' actions were motivated by the Sh14,500 daily allowance they collected for the five-day seminar. The official stated that the recklessness and disregard for guidelines were evident in the presence of staff from the executive and assembly who attended as administrative support, also disregarding Covid-19 rules.
Another source who attended the meeting expressed concern that the assembly members' actions were undermining the importance of following guidelines on staying home and staying safe. The source noted that before the training began, the ward representatives signed the attendance sheet, collected their allowances, and some could be heard celebrating their good fortune in the current economic times.
Speaker Joel Kairu defended his members, claiming they observed social distance rules during the seminar. However, he could not confirm or deny claims that the members signed allowances for a week while the seminar only took two days.
Civil rights groups have been criticizing the county government for its failure to take social distancing and other measures seriously. Activist Simon Nasieku stated that the MCAs will soon hold another Covid-19 seminar in Kisumu.
