Mohammed Ali rebukes Joho for forced Covid-19 mass testing
Nyali Member of Parliament Mohammed Ali, has bashed Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, telling him to stop forcing Mombasa residents to go for mass testing for Covid-19.
Ali, says that threatening people to get tested is not the right way of doing things. Politicians, he says, should not use politics especially when it comes to the health of citizens.
He saysfFirst a solution has to be found, since there is a fear of getting tested for the disease as many are afraid of the cost of being quarantined when they are found positive.
“Naomba niseme hivi nimeona video kwenye mitandao ya baadhi ya viongozi wakiweza kutishia wananchi ya kwamba ni sharti wafanye test ya Covid-19. Nataka niseme hivi, kama mwanasiasa, sisi ni wanasiasa na inapofika katika maswala ya afya tusilete siasa zetu ndani,” Ali said.
“Licha ya kwamba Mombasa inaendelea kupata idadi kubwa ya wanayopata maradhi ya Korona, kwanza ni lazima tutafute suluhu. Kwanza tuwache wizara ya Afya ifanye kazi yake. Pili, watu wanaogopa kwenda kufanyiwa test kwa sababu ya kitu kimoja, wakipatikana wanaambiwa gharama ni yao,” he added.
ICYMI: MP Mohamed Ali rejects forced mass testing for Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/NG6RrE59Oc
— Daily Nation (@dailynation) May 4, 2020
He insisted that calling for a lockdown also is not ideal at the moment due to the poor economic situation of most people in the coastal city.
“Wewe una nguvu, leo waitisha lockdown, wewe una nguvu maana utakaa kwako ule vizuri, raha mustarehe na hutaishiwa kwa kipindi cha miaka kumi ama ishirini ijayo. Lakini kuna mtu ukimwambia hiyo lockdown… kuna watu wataumia sana, asilimia kubwa.
“Tumeona kule Kisauni mama anachemsha mawe, na ni less than 12 hours ndio watu wameruhusiwa kufanya kazi pekee yake. Ukitaka lockdown watu wataanza kuchemsha chuma,” Ali explained.
On Sunday Mr Joho lashed out at Mombasa residents for failing to turn up in large numbers for the coronavirus mass testing in the city.
According to Mr Joho out of 28,000 people in old town only 130 people have been tested since they began the drive.
Mombasa has been put on the spot by the Ministry of Health after the increase of the number of persons confirmed by the Ministry to having the disease coming from the county.