Residents of Kahuro Sub County in Murang’a have been told to strictly adhere to measures stipulated by the Ministry of Health to combat the spread of COVID-19.
The area Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Wilberforce Kilonzo has said the sub-county is an agricultural potential area, a factor that puts locals at very high risk considering many people visit the area to trade on farm produce.
On Thursday, Kilonzo noted that despite elaborate sensitization programme mounted in the area, some residents are still behaving as if they were immune to the disease.
The sub-county, Kilonzo said receives many visitors on a daily basis from Nairobi and other regions to buy milk and farm produce.
He said farmers should ensure every time they move out of their houses they put on face masks considering they interact with many people especially at milk, tea and coffee collection centres.
“In this sub-county, there are about 22, 000 dairy farmers who must meet as they deliver milk twice a day at various milk collection points,” observed the DCC.
Apart from dairy farmers, the sub-county has about 8,000 tea farmers who interact a lot during harvesting and at tea buying centres, with the DCC saying the interactions create a conducive environment for the transmission of coronavirus.
Kilonzo added that the sub-county is also home to more than 25, 000 coffee farmers who currently have started harvesting their produce.
“With many interactions occasioned by agricultural activities, residents must strictly adhere to Ministry of Health guidelines which will prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the area,” he further stated.
Kahuro is also among high producers of avocado, bananas and poultry which draw buyers from different parts of the country.
Kilonzo was speaking as he sensitized tea farmers when they were delivering their green leaf at Kahatia buying centre.
His statements came a day after a local resident who died of COVID-19 was buried at Koimbi area.
The administrator allayed fears that the deceased contracted the disease when he was in Murang’a, explaining that the deceased had moved to Nairobi to seek medication on another ailment when he contracted coronavirus.
“I plead with the locals not to stigmatize anybody. The person passed on while he was in Nairobi where he contracted the disease and unfortunately died. All guidelines given by the government were followed during the burial,” noted Kilonzo.
He added a team from the Ministry of Health and another from the county emergency response committee was involved in burying the body asking residents not to be alarmed.
Meanwhile, the DCC said the process of recruiting youth for Kazi mtaani programme is ongoing and about 1,200 young people will benefit.
“Once recruited, the young people will be engaged in doing works to boost hygiene in all our 24 trading centres,” he added.
By Bernard Munyao
