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"speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, indeed, this is a very serious matter. It is really disheartening and disappointing that people were told to self-quarantine themselves. Whatever that means, I do not know. - If what we are getting from the media is true. The COVID-19 virus is contagious for up to 24 days before a person carrying it even shows a fever. We say that we can screen. We do not even have the capacity to screen because the symptoms show up after 24 days. A report by the World Health Organization (WHO), says that the whole world is not prepared for a fast moving, violent, respiratory pathogen pandemic that could kill between 50-80 million citizens of the world. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as the Government, we already took a step to say that our own Kenya Airways should not fly to or from China directly. In fact, the other day, the President was very upset that the Ethiopian Airlines had attempted to do the same, and their flights are from Guangzhou. How on earth do we allow a flight from Guangdong, the second largest province in China with that issue, to come directly? Even if it for economic interests, the economic liability that will be caused by the threat of this virus coming into Kenya is much more important than trade. Today, international companies like Apple have said that they are already counting their losses because they cannot get certain parts from China. However, they say that it is okay because they cannot allow that for now. Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to amend the request by Sen. Olekina. When such a global pandemic happens, the first reliance is on diplomacy between countries. This is because you need governments to work together to sort this out. This is not just a matter of the Ministry of Health or the Committee on Health; but also the Committee on National Security, Defense and Foreign Relations. This is because the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs needs to tell us what protocols they have established in Kenya, within East Africa and China. Today, the Prime Minister of Japan has issued a huge alert, even closing schools in Japan yet we are rolling out the red carpet for the Coronavirus. I will let the professionals say it. However, if I was in charge, I would not let in any flight coming directly from a country that has no capacity to screen, leave alone just China. Even if one is coming through India, no. If they are coming from any country that does not have the capacity to screen, they should not come straight to Kenya. In fact, from that part of the world we should only allow those who are coming through Dubai. However, we leave that to the experts and to those who are in charge of those dockets. Mr. Speaker Sir, this is an urgent Statement. I wish that you direct that the Committee National Security, Defense and Foreign relations, as well as the Committee on Health, jointly summon the Cabinet Secretary immediately, so that we are sure. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}