A group of 39 Kenyans who travelled back to the country from China protested on Sunday, May 10 after payment was demanded by the Co-operative University of Kenya, Karen in Nairobi, where they were taken for quarantine after landing.
They arrived at the facility at around 5.30 a.m. on May 10, with sources revealing to Kenyans.co.ke that seven young children were among the group.
They were not provided with any meals and were allegedly also denied permission to order food from outside, for example, using food delivery applications.
In voice messages sent to Kenyans.co.ke, some of the individuals at the facility revealed that they were being asked for Ksh4,500 each.
They were perplexed as Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had announced on Wednesday, May 6, that the government would foot the bills of those in quarantine facilities across the country.
“The ministry would like to announce that the cost of targeted testing and that of quarantine in government quarantine facilities shall be met by the government effective today,” he had stated at the daily briefing on Covid-19.
The situation on the ground turned out to be different, however, as the Kenyan citizens revealed that they were being forced to fork out hefty payments at the facilities.
"We are stranded and we don't know what to do. To be honest, we don't have money. The embassy had assured us that the quarantine facility would be free, so we need help," one woman stated.
"We came here at 6 o'clock and until now, no food, no nothing. Some policemen came here, I don't know what they want to tell us but they're not communicating. Maybe they are here to maintain peace.
"The manager is saying each person should pay Ksh4,500 but I think on our side that is too much. We can't even afford Ksh3,000 or Ksh2,000. We can afford nothing. Some of them with kids, the kids have not eaten the whole day, people are so angry," another woman revealed.
Health Director-General Patrick Amoth was yet to respond to queries made by Kenyans.co.ke on the situation by the time of publication.
Wanjeri Nderu, an activist who was contacted by some of the individuals at the facilities seeking help, told Kenyans.co.ke that some of the individuals at the institution had been victims of harassment and arrests of Africans in China.
"A lot of them simply don't have any money. In fact, some of them are coming straight from jail in China. They found themselves in jail in this period where Africans were being harassed.
"They have not eaten anything up to this point, and there are mothers with little children. There are at least seven children there," she revealed.
Wanjeri further disclosed that the management of the facility had been unwilling to hear appeals that the government had committed to footing the bills, insisting on full payment.
"The institution does not care about that (government order), them they just want to get paid," she stated.
Watch a video recorded at the facility below:
39 Kenyans who arrived from China were taken to Cooperative College, Karen at 5:30am. The government had told them quarantine is free but now the staff at the college have refused to accommodate them. They have been told to leave the college if they can't pay upfront. @MOH_Kenya pic.twitter.com/Nfzz9zW2eX
— The People’s Watchman (@bonifacemwangi) May 10, 2020
