The Makueni County Emergency Response Committee (CERC) has expressed concern over a number of people sneaking into Makueni from counties which have been placed under partial lockdown in the country.
The public outcry comes at a time when eleven people were arrested in the county and placed under self-isolation at their homes.
The County Commissioner (CC), Maalim Mohammed speaking on behalf of CERC outside his office on Thursday said the committee had unanimously agreed that such culprits will be repatriated to the counties they came from, besides being subjected to compulsory quarantine in identified public facilities.
Mohammed thanked members of the public for being vigilant in reporting such incidents promptly to the police in the area.
“We have noted that many people from the restricted counties of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale are sneaking into the region. Any person found to have flouted the movement law will be repatriated to the county of origin and handed over to the authorities for legal action,” said Mohammed.
The committee directed that a roadblock be erected at Kola the border between Makueni and Machakos to monitor passengers travelling especially from Nairobi.
During the media briefing, it was disclosed that two Covid-19 treatment units established at the Makueni Level 5 and Makindu Level 4 hospitals were now operational, besides engaging in training of 200 health workers to handle covid-19 patients at the comprehensive care units.
The committee further said there will be continuous screening of all persons entering Makueni at Kibwezi and Mtito Andei road blocks, manned by multi-agency team where to date a total of over 27,000 people have been screened.
On his part, the Makueni Governor, Prof. Kivutha Kibwana emphasized on the need for the residents to follow guidelines laid down by the government in a bid to combat the covid-19 pandemic.
Kibwana thanked local health workers and police for the good work they were doing for the people of Makueni and urged them to continue serving selflessly.
On the sale of miraa, the governor observed that at no time did the county government ban trading in the commodity, but they were rather discouraging youth groupings, engaged in chew the commodity.
However, he lamented that the chewing of miraa had impacted negatively on the wellbeing of youth in the area.
The governor was reacting after an individual whom he did not disclose, allegedly took him to court for banning sale of miraa in the county.
By Patrick Nyakundi
