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{
    "id": 983692,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/983692/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 57,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Malalah",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13195,
        "legal_name": "Cleophas Wakhungu Malalah",
        "slug": "cleophas-wakhungu-malalah-2"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, when it comes the issue of dissemination of relevant information to our people, I was having a chat with one of the doctors and nurses in Kakamega and realized that they do not have information regarding this disease. They have not been trained on how they will handle such cases. Mr. Speaker, Sir, yesterday, we had a boda boda operator in Kakamega who got into the hospital and said that he had been coughing for a while and had fever. When he tried to cough, all the doctors ran away because they did not know how to treat such a case. Therefore, it is very important for us to have a central place where information will be disseminated and we shall derive authority as pertains to what we are supposed to do to curb this disease. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have seen different governors issuing different decrees. The Governor of Kakamega County said that all mortuaries are closed in Kakamega. However, our neighbours are still operating their mortuaries. That simply means that if somebody dies in Kakamega, he will be taken to Vihiga County, where mortuaries are still operating. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Governor of Mombasa County said that all discos and nightclubs should be closed in Mombasa County, but his counterpart in Kilifi, just across Shimo la Tewa in Mtwapa, said that discos will continue operating. This means that Mombasa residents will be going to Kilifi in the evening. Therefore, this issue calls for a centralized point where we shall be getting information. I want to encourage the governors to start coming up with decrees that conform to the fight against COVID-19. Let us not contradict each other. Let us get information from the central committee formed by the President. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to ask our governors not to take advantage of this situation and start spending money anyhow in the name of curbing COVID-19. We have seen governors who have started saying that they want to procure tanks within two days. Let them be put on notice that, as Senators, we are watching them, and they will still be accountable. Any procurement that is done right now must follow the procurement rules that are set out in the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have seen business entities wanting to take advantage of this situation by increasing the cost of essentials, non-pharmaceuticals, sanitizers and even water and soap. It is my humble submission that the national Government should have a price controlling mechanism to standardize especially the essentials that are needed to fight COVID-19. We have got some gadgets which cannot be found in the market right now like the gun thermometers. We are unable to purchase the gun thermometers. The masks are not in the pharmacies. It is the responsibility of the Government to ensure that they procure and supply the relevant equipment that is supposed to fight this disease. Mr. Speaker, Sir, when I got into Parliament today, I was received by a police officer who was using the gun thermometer. I do not know if he has any medical background to ascertain whether somebody is sick or not. If we need to be serious, let us have people who are qualified and can interpret issues of health. We have the facilities here in Parliament and in other privileged institutions in the country. 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."
}