Gov’t Condemns MP John Kiarie after Claims that Covid-19 Cases Are Being Underreported

The Health Ministry has trashed claims by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie that the government is lying to Kenyans about the coronavirus pandemic.

In a lengthy Facebook post on Sunday, MP Kiarie claimed that the actual number of coronavirus cases in the country was higher than the reported 38, adding that over 7,000 people who recently arrived in the country from abroad are under quarantine and are yet to be tested.

He further alleged that Kenya is ill-prepared for the pandemic and lacks adequate equipment including testing kits, masks, ventilators, oxygen, and even hospital beds.

“Kenya currently has an acute shortage of testing kits, so the country cannot adequately test how many of these new arrivals are currently positive! We currently do not know the exact number of positive cases in the country. CS Mutahi is only communicating what they have tested with the limited testing kits available. There are many, many untested, unreported positive cases out here,” wrote Kiarie adding that Kenya might be confirming excess of 10,000 positive patients in a few weeks.

“How many of these new arrivals will test positive when we finally get kits in two weeks’ time or so, or whenever the kits arrive? Only God knows. Moderate estimates are that by May, Kenya will be reporting in excess of 10,000 positive patients!” he added.

“Kenya Government must forthwith communicate the gravity of the real situation without sugar-coating anymore. Let Kenyans know how bad things are about to get. They will be better equipped to make personal decisions and put up with government decrees, measures, and restrictions.”

Responding to MP Kiarie on Sunday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe accused some politicians of using the pandemic to gain political mileage.

“It is not true, why would you wish as a leader that 7,000 Kenyans be in quarantine? For what gain? Saying that the government is hiding information, for what purpose? It is unethical for one purporting to be a leader to mislead Kenyans for whatever reason,” said Kagwe.

He stressed that only 2,050 Kenyans are currently in quarantine at hotels, hospitals, and other designated facilities.

“If the British National Health Service (NHS) has been overrun, isn’t it realistic to imagine that it could happen here. Criticizing the government is just adding salt to injury,” added Kagwe.