Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Thursday, March 26 held a consultative meeting on Covid-19 response with officials from the ministry, the Kenya Healthcare Federation and CEOs from the Kenya Association of Private Hospitals at Afya House.
However, when images of the meeting were uploaded online, what caught the attention of Kenyans is that the CS failed to honour a directive to curb the spread of the virus. Simply put, he failed to social distance.
As seen in recent press conferences and national pressers by leaders, they have maintained a relative distance between themselves as well as refrained from handshakes as a way to tame Covid-19.
In the images seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Kagwe and the officials stood shoulder to shoulder and sat less than a meter from each other.
Following the outbreak of the virus in the country, on more than one presser, CS Kagwe has often asked members of the public to exercise social distancing as the country fights the pandemic.
Most recently, on Friday, March 20, 2020, Kagwe asked that public service vehicles (PSVs) scale down their passenger capacities so as to effect social distancing.
Taking to social media, Kenyans castigated the CS for preaching water and drinking wine, in the sense that he did not honour the directive.
"Was the group photo and two people on one sofa really necessary Ministry of Health? Mr. CS aren't you the one who said if we treat Coronavirus normally it will treat us abnormally, are you being the example of social distance or an example of violation?" Patrick Mwongera posed
"You guys keep preaching water while drinking wine. From the way you guys are seated, there's no social distancing. Even from the pictures. Kindly note that this virus doesn't choose class or wealth, even the leaders are at risk," Ontiri Dun stated.
Concerned netizens called upon the CS to avoid such meetings and employ teleconferencing so as to avoid congregating.
"Surely, you can't just Skype/ Zoom these meetings? And why the group photos? While we appreciate the need for public-private-partnerships, you risk exposing each other & thousands of your employees to Covid-19. We need all of you and our CS Kagwe," moniker Kenyan project stated.
"What is it about the 1.5 m social distancing rule these guys haven't understood? Are these pictures of you people standing together really that necessary in these times of crisis?" one Lola stated.
Kenyans criticised the necessity of a group photo arguing that it bore more dangers than merit.
A section questioned whether the officials were screened or even tested prior to their meeting with the Health CS.
"Why take a group picture with all you guys close together? What happened to social distancing? Or all these people in these pictures were tested and found negative of Covid-19 just before they went into this 'consultative meeting'?" moniker Mancini posed.
Social distancing had been exercised by leaders in the country as evidenced by President Uhuru Kenyatta pressers, as well as in the visit to Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju's home, where the leaders present, Deputy President William Ruto ODM Leader Raila Odinga among several other sat 1.5 metres from each other.
During the National Prayer Day held at State House on Saturday, March 21, the seating arrangement was cognizant of the importance of social distancing.
