Former US President Barrack Obama's Kenyan relatives were beneficiaries of donations comprising personal protective equipment (PEPs) as stakeholders, the Senator's office and several politicians enhanced the war on Covid-19 in Siaya County.
Victor Marende, Siaya Senator James Orengo's Communications Director, informed Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, April 29, that Orengo's office, in partnership with a number of MPs had set out to distribute equipment in the region.
This is after a Siaya priest tested positive for Coronavirus and risked exposing dozens of people he interacted with at a funeral to the disease. The county was also on the spotlight when James Oyugi, a Covid-19 patient was hurriedly buried at night, a process that sparked outrage from the Senator's office and Kenyans at large.
A report by the Daily Nation on Wednesday, April 29, stated that a Member of County Assembly (MCA) in Kogelo, Siaya County, where Obama relatives reside donated PEPs to the family and other residents.
In South-East Alego ward, residents were given 2,000 litres of hand sanitizer, 70 handwashing units, 50-litre water tanks and 2,000 face masks.
Marende, speaking on behalf of the Senator's office added that the office partnered with Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and other legislators to distribute sanitisers.
"We considered all options available and in consideration with MPs, procured thousand of litres of sanitisers and we started distributing from Alego Usonga, Ugunja, Bondo and we will traverse more regions with the donations as we target the boda boda riders and everyone else.
"We are also informing residents to strictly adhere to Covid-19 directives issued by the government as we also lias with County Commissioners on the best way to create awareness," Marende informed.
A resident from Siaya confirmed that donations were being made in the region as many people became aware of how the disease was being contracted and how to protect themselves.
"For a while, there was a lot of tension but so far, no new case has been reported in Siaya. The burial made us to be more disappointed with the government than even the fear to contract the disease. I've heard of a few politicians who have donated PEPs. The small businesses are running but the curfew time is well adhered to while clubs are closed," one resident informed Kenyans.co.ke.
In mid-April 2020, Siaya Senator James Orengo raised questions on the controversial burial of James Oyugi, and sought a response from Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, by tabling a motion in Senate.
A Senate Ad-hoc committee led by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja directed Kagwe to apologise to the family of the deceased after the CS acknowledged that the late Oyugi's burial was not conducted in line with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.
"This will ensure that this does not happen again, and to address the stigma associated with coming into contact with or having a family member die from Coronavirus," Sakaja stated.
