Mike Sonko, the Nairobi Governor came to the rescue of Kenyans stranded in China just moments before the government-designated flight took off from Guangzhou, China.
In a statement released on his social media platforms on Sunday, May 8, Sonko announced that some of the Kenyans stranded in China had reached out to him and asked that he facilitate their travel out of the country.
“On April 30th, 2020, I received a distress call via both email and cell phone from fellow Kenyans who were stranded in China after the global lockdown and the xenophobic [sic] attacks that broke out, largely targeting Africans because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I listened to those who reached out to me, and I was deeply touched by the anguish they were going through,” Sonko wrote.
Sonko added that despite the Government making a special arrangement by providing an aircraft to fly back home the stranded Kenyans, only those who could afford to cater for the discounted fares were in a position to take advantage of the offer.
This then forced him to step in and cater for 10 Kenyans to ensure that they could be reunited with their loved ones by flying back home.
“I am delighted to report that a team of ten (10) Kenyans including a 1- year-old minor are already airborne to Nairobi. I wish them journey mercies and God willing they will be landing at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 2:30 a.m. a few hours from now,” Sonko announced.
The Nairobi Governor further announced that once the flight lands, he was set to settle the quarantine charges for the 10 and also facilitate their reunion with family, after the 14-day mandatory quarantine period.
“Upon arrival, they shall undergo the mandatory 14-days quarantine of which we have also fully catered for before they reunite with their families,” he announced
Sonko further noted that he was aware that his political detractors would term his move as a public relations exercise, however, he insisted that it was not time for leaders to play politics with the lives of Kenyans, but rather a time to come together and ensure that they supported the citizens to overcome the pandemic.
“I wish to appeal to all of us to set aside our political differences during this difficult time we are facing as a country and continue doing the little we can to support each other to overcome this pandemic. God bless Nairobi, God bless Kenya,” he concluded.
