MP John Kiarie released after agreeing to issue clarification on his alarmist post
Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie was on Sunday evening released after being questioned by the DCI over his Facebook post claiming the government was sugar-coating the real situation of coronavirus in the country.
Kiarie was set free by the DCI in Kabete after he agreed to issue a clarification on the number of people in isolation across the country and the projection of people who are projected to be infected with the Covid-19 by May.
“The issue of contention which is the subject of the summon were two issues, one is the figure that he mentioned, the number 7,000 which might be intepreter to mean that 7,000 people were infected or were being quarantined or were held in isolation in Lenana,” Kiare’s advocate Anthony Oluoch said.
He added: “The second issue was the projection that by May we would be having 10,000 people infected.”
According to his lawyer, who is also the Mathare MP, the 7,000 people were all those who came into the country after the government made the announcement to suspend all international flights.
About the May projection by KJ, Oluoch clarified that it was based on scientific research and observation made by individuals who have observed the trends on the spread of the coronavirus in other countries.
The MP said he would clarify and issue an apology for his alarming post that drew the wrath of the government after he presented himseld to the DCI offices in Kabete following summons.
In his long post on Facebook, the Jubilee legislator claimed there were more than 7,000 people in mandatory isolation centers across the country but failed to back his allegations with any evidence.
In a swift rejoinder, while giving an update on the Covid-19, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe refuted KJ’s claims instead sternly warning that action will be taken against any politician making wild claims on the virus and ignores state orders .
“We have noted misinformation doing rounds on social media where a leader in the country is claiming there are over 7,000 in mandatory quarantine. While this may ultimately be the case and even perhaps more might get into quarantine. It’s simply at the moment not true,” Kagwe said.
Kagwe said the number of people who were put under quarantine was 2,050 and mass testing started on Sunday.