Eldoret Residents Dismiss Calls by Governor to be Given Ebola Funds
A section of Uasin Gishu County residents has dismissed a request by County governors asking the government to allocate 6 billion Kenya shillings for the preparations to curb the Ebola disease.
According to some of the residents, the governors are using the Ebola issue as a means to extort the government.
“This is a loophole for the governors to embezzle money. If they are very genuine, they should account for their expenditure of the drought and locust funds by spelling the amount they have spent and the balance they have,” says a taxi driver in Eldoret.
Being along the Uganda highway, Uasin Gishu county and especially Eldoret town is at a higher risk of its residents contracting the disease.
Most drivers coming from Uganda make a stop for refreshments in Eldoret, hence putting Eldoret residents at risk.
“If the funds are not allocated and the disease enters the country, the residents will suffer,” says Julius a resident in Eldoret.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the government allocated close to 7.7 billion Kenyan shillings to the counties during the pandemic. However, only about 3.43 billion was accounted for.
According to Julius, who is in support of the governor’s demands, president William Ruto’s government will deal severely with anyone who will misappropriate public funds.
Kenya has not yet reported any Ebola cases. The one case in Busia County turned out to be a false alarm as the ministry said the patient tested negative for the disease.
So far, at least 29 people have died following the Ebola outbreak in Uganda.
The ministry of health in Kenya had issued an alert to at least 20 counties, urging them to be vigilant.
They include Busia, Nakuru, Kiambu, Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Mombasa, Kwale, and Kericho, Bungoma, Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, and Uasin Gishu.
Ebola disease is caused by Ebola virus. Based on the previous cases, about 67% of the cases have died.
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