Nairobi News

Two senior officials of Nairobi County government have gone into self-quarantine after returning from Dubai last week.

The two are Environment Executive Larry Wambua and deputy governor nominee Anne Mwenda, who also doubles up as Disaster Management and Coordination Chief Officer and acting Water Chief Officer.

However, the two were part of a team that met Governor Mike Sonko at his Upper Hill private office for a short meeting before proceeding to a meeting at State House on Sunday.

At State House, the officers alongside CECs and chief officers whose functions have been affected by the take over of county government functions by the National Government met with the head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.

The team was to meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta but he was not present.

Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director General Mohamed Abdala Badi and his deputy Enosh Momanyi were also present at the meeting.

“If the two test positive then it will be chaos as we have been having daily meetings with the NMS team at Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) and Harambee House handing over reports and budgets,” said one of the officers who has interacted with the two.

Returned from a conference in Dubai

When reached, Ms Mwenda said they returned from a conference in Dubai on Tuesday and went into self-quarantine before attending the State House meeting.

She defended herself saying she was tested in Dubai and has also been on self-quarantine before leaving for the State House meeting.

The chief officer also said they kept social distancing before and during the meetings.

“I was tested in Dubai and when I arrived I went on self-quarantine until we were told we were urgently needed at State House. We did social distancing before and during the meeting before coming back to the house where I have not left again,” added Ms Mwenda.

The deputy governor nominee stated that she has not displayed any symptoms associated with coronavirus but added that she was taking a repeat test after eight days in self-quarantine.

“I am doing a repeat test today. I have not displayed any sign. So far so good I have not seen anything bad,” she said.

Allowed to travel

On his part, Mr Wambua said he has also been on self-quarantine since last week at his home where he has also been following the guidelines given by the Ministry of Health.

He said that they went through rigorous tests while in Dubai before they were allowed to travel.

“What they do in Dubai they do body searches with scanners and if you display symptoms associated with coronavirus then you are pulled aside and isolated. We went through all that. We were very careful there and concentrated only where the conference was,” said Mr Wambua.

At the same time, three Nairobi MCAs are also on self-quarantine after returning from their travels.

One jetted back into the country last month from Germany while the other two had come back after visiting two African countries, which have since confirmed cases of coronavirus.

“Yes three MCAs are on self-quarantine after I advised them to do so in order not to endanger lives of others, ” said Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

Kenya has had 16 confirmed cases of the deadly novel coronavirus which has claimed more than 16, 500 lives globally.