Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's antics have once again captured the attention of the international community.
In a presser on Tuesday, April 14, the flamboyant governor announced that he'd be adding small bottles of Hennessy (a type of brandy made in Cognac, France) to his free foodstuff hamper in a bid to combat Covid-19.
The move rattled some players including the manufacturer of the drink as well as the international community who read cheekiness in his act.
The report was covered both in UK media outlets and their US counterparts including world-known tabloids, Daily Mail and New York Post.
Daily Mail took a ridiculing tone in its coverage of the matter noting that the county boss had resorted to supplying alcohol because it aided in the killing of the Coronavirus.
"Sonko, who has been relieved of his duties pending a £2.7 million corruption trial, has been slammed by medical experts who said drinking alcohol is, in fact, detrimental to the immune system.
"Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) does recommend the use of alcohol-based hand rubs to kill viruses, Hennessy - an 80 proof spirit - is not powerful enough to be applied in this way," reported Daily Mail.
New York Post, on the other hand, amplified the blast the governor received on social media platforms minutes after holding the presser.
"When it comes to hand hygiene, the CDC recommends alcohol-based sanitizers with greater than 60 per cent ethanol or 70 per cent isopropanol in healthcare settings," reported the outlet after highlighting that Sonko had been condemned for the action by Dr Githinji Gitahi, the global CEO of Amref Health Africa.
Other outlets, Writerstake, Internewscast, and Africanews, pointed out that on the contrary, consumption of alcohol was dangerous as it weakened the immune system making it susceptible to the attack.
In response to Sonko's claims, Hennessy Kenya General Manager, Anne-Claire Delamere, issued a statement discrediting the assertion that the French brandy was effective in combating Covid-19.
"Hennessy would like to stress that the consumption of our brand or any other alcoholic beverage does not protect against the virus.
In line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health Kenya (MoH), Hennessy advises on washing hands regularly with soap and water or hydro-alcoholic gels, wearing face masks, practising social distancing and staying at home," noted Delamere.
Below is a video of Sonko's conference:
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