Quarantine, punish leaders for breaching Covid-19 safety rules

Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli and his band of western Kenya politicians, whom he hosted to a luncheon at his Kajiado home, recently, were in contravention of Covid-19 safety regulations.

First of all, no one is allowed to travel in and out of Nairobi unless they offer essential services and hold a valid relevant pass.

We have seen families prohibited from burying their loved ones due to these rules. Others were denied much-needed medical attention as they could not travel.

What ticks off us, Kenyans wa kawaida (ordinary folks), is the double standards being applied by the government to different citizens.

The rules should apply across the board regardless of position in society, title, political affiliation or bank balance.

Henceforth, let us elect leaders who have our interests at heart and don't abuse their authority.
Anna Rosa, Nairobi

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With the increasing Covid-19 infections in the country, Kenyans have constantly been called upon to show high levels of self-discipline and responsibility. The Health ministry has been announcing more new cases and deaths every day while projections show the numbers could peak by the end of August.
Leaders should, therefore, lead by example to encourage the rest of us to adhere to the measures.
That is why it was shocking to see the political leaders who had congregated at the Kajiado home of Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli openly violating the rules.

They did not wear face masks or observe social distancing, among other faults.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has persistently told Kenyans that nobody is too superior to not get the virus. As the number of infections spike, everybody should follow the guidelines regardless of class or title.
Brian Ogotti, Kisumu

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On Friday, Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli hosted politicians from western Kenya against the public health protocols to curb Covid-19.
If any of them had the coronavirus, then all those present were infected and are a danger to not only the public, but their families as well.
More than 20 legislators stood shoulder to shoulder, without face masks, and if the Health ministry is serious, Mr Atwoli and his guests must be placed under quarantine or go into self-isolation as others suspected to have the disease have.
It’s shameful for a person of Atwoli’s stature — a global labour leader — to ignore the rules and succumb to personal greed and selfish grandstanding just to propagate political interests.
Mr Atwoli is an obstacle to the war against the pandemic. Many other Kenyans caught socialising are taken to quarantine centres for two weeks; why not the party?
This is a perfect opportunity to see if the government will apply the law equally or selectively.
Robert Musamali, Nairobi