Musalia Mudavadi, the Amani National Congress (ANC) leader has accused the government of selectively enforcing coronavirus containment measures.
Speaking on Saturday, May 30, Mudavadi claimed the government was quick to apprehend citizens who flouted the rules but could not apply similar swiftness when the offenders were politicians or business leaders.
While taking a swipe at leaders who congregated at the home of Central Organisation for Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, the ANC leader said some attendees had crossed into the Nairobi Metropolitan Area which was under the cessation of movement order.
Mudavadi was emphatic the law only allowed people offering essential services to enter or leave the restricted areas so as to curb spread of the virus to unaffected counties.
“What essential or emergency service were they going to offer? Were they going to provide water? It is interesting that some of them came all the way from Western, passed the National Assembly in Nairobi and proceeded to Kajiado. On the other hand, you find the government arresting citizens who sneak in and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area and locking them up in cells,” said Mudavadi.
In a separate story, Sonkonews.com reported that Atwoli hosted over 50 Luhya leaders at his Ildamat home in Kajiado where they discussed matters pertaining unity of the community.
The meeting was attended by 40MPs, four governors, 10 senators, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Devolution CS Eugine Wamalwa and Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi among others.
During the meeting, the COTU Boss, CS Eugene Wamalwa and Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya were elected the region’s spokespersons. Mudavadi and Bungoma senator Moses Wetang’ula who are vibrant Luhya leaders were, however, missing from the meeting.
“I was not on the list of invitees. So that was not my meeting. I was in another meeting with Martha Karua, Peter Kenneth and former minister Sally Kosgei,” Mudavadi said.
The Saturday meeting at Atwoli’s home was not the only castigated by Mudavadi but also citizens who took to social media and accused the leaders of not observing social distancing. Some of the leaders were also put on the spot for parading themselves for a press conference without putting on masks.
“This is a new generation with new ideas and brains, Atwoli should respect that. Social distancing is not for poor only, it’s for everybody,” Hon Kemboi wrote on Twitter.
“I watched how police arrested youths exercising but failed to arrest Atwoli for similar mistakes,” Mr lofty Bee tweeted inprotest of the arrest of some 36 joggers in Kisumu who were accused of not observing proper social distancing.
In response to the accusations, Atwoli defended his guests stating all of them observed high standards of hygiene during the event that also included wining and dining. “May I assure Kenyans that my guests observed social distancing at my Ildamat Home,” the trade unionist tweeted.
