Siaya MCA in forced isolation after attending burial

What you need to know:

  • Mr Okumu was seized by police after he turned himself in on Monday evening.
  • He was isolated at the Kenya Medical Training College Siaya campus on Tuesday.
  • About 148 people in Siaya County believed to have come in close contact with a Catholic priest who tested positive for coronavirus have been isolated.

A Siaya ward representative has been put on a 14-day forced quarantine after he attended a funeral last weekend that had more than 15 people in attendance.

Police were looking for West Alego MCA Felix Okumu and his Usonga counterpart Sylvester Madialo after they attended a funeral in Nyadorera on Sunday.

Mr Okumu was seized by police after he turned himself in on Monday evening. He was isolated at the Kenya Medical Training College Siaya campus on Tuesday.

When the Nation contacted the Siaya MCA, he said he was unwell and declined to speak. "I am unwell," he said before disconnecting the call.

Siaya County police boss Francis Kooli said Tuesday that police are still looking for Mr Madialo.

"His colleague turned himself in on Monday evening after the summons were issued but we are yet to get Usonga MCA," Mr Kooli said.

Speaking to Nation on phone on Monday Mr Madialo confirmed he has received a summon from the police but argued that he was at the funeral “for less than 20 minutes”.

He claimed the burial was attended by many people and officials should have stopped the event before it happened.

"I will honour the police summon, but I also have questions for them because they had a duty to stop the ceremony before I arrived," he said.

About 148 people in Siaya County believed to have come in close contact with a Catholic priest who tested positive for coronavirus have been isolated.

It was not immediately clear how many people are being isolated at KMTC, but Nation confirmed that Catholic priests from Sega, Ugunja and Sigomere parishes are isolated there.