A section of Migori local leaders have tasked leadership at both National and County Governments to ensure resources designated to fight Covid-19 pandemic were not misappropriated.
Speaking on Friday at PEFA Church Cathedral in Migori County, the leaders regretted that billions of shillings have been set aside to deal with new coronavirus but the impact could not be felt at the grassroots.
The church clerics led by PEFA Secretary General Kenya Bishop John Okinda urged anti-corruption agencies to investigate reported unaccounted for money and resources meant to address the challenges posed by coronavirus.
“As a church, we are asking agencies that deal with corruption to move with speed and unearth this mystery so that we may know,” said Okinda.
The PEFA Cleric however warned counties whose nurses have gone on strike due to none payment that their actions could jeopardise the lives of Kenyans at this time of the pandemic.
“We feel betrayed as a church when frontline workers like nurses are not paid,” Okinda added after receiving sanitizers, masks and thermos guns from well-wishers to be supplied to more than 4,500 churches in Migori County.
Bishop Esau Jobando, Migori County Bishops Accord Chairman also challenged the government to ensure they tracked the lost money and directed it to the deserving areas.
Separately, Migori County Senator Ochillo Ayacko while speaking in Kehancha town tasked Governor Zachary Obado to deal with public officials who could not account for money or resources meant to serve the people of Migori County.
Ochilo was reacting to reports that some people were arrested by police with stolen beds from Kehancha Sub- county hospital. The Senator believed that such theft must have been organised by the public officials and asked Obado to deal with them.
Ochilo also renewed calls to have Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe account for lost money that was meant to fight against Covid-19.
The call comes a few days after Kagwe appeared before the Parliamentary Health Committee to answer allegations on massive loss of Covid -19 funds.
“I want to tell Kagwe that Kenyans are getting impatient. He should lead by example and produce those who were at the centre of the scandal. If he claims to have received little cash then it ought to have been used in critical areas to the last coin. There should be no room for theft,” he said.
By Geoffrey Satia
