16PAGE POLITICAL PULLOUT INDEPENDENT FRESH AND DIFFERENT SIASA PAGE 13 24-26 To win war on the APRIL 2020 coronavirus, Kenya FRIDAY-SUNDAY needs eff ective KSh60 (TSh1,000 | USh2,000) response plan NEW IMPETUS STATE HAS TAKEN BACK 3,954 ACRES IN NAIROBI, PLANS EVICTIONS WITHIN METROPOLIS Kenyatta’s massive blow to land grabbers Head of state targets to reclaim over 6,672 acres of public land illegally allocated PG4-5 CORONAVIRUS HELPING THE HOMELESS Provide Food donations Set up donation drop-off points take-away food should be shelf-stable to encourage social distancing Launder donated clothing, sheets, towels, Disinfect nonporous items, such or other fabrics on high heat settings as those made of plastic SOURCE: CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SERIAL MURDER? PROJECTS WILL STALL WORLD MALARIA DAY Burrowing killers butcher mum MPs reject proposal to cut CDF Similar symptoms: Why Covid and her daughter in Nyandarua by Sh10bn to fi ght coronavirus patients should test for malaria It happened again. A killer or killers tunnelled through a wall: MPs have rejected attempts by the National Treasury to Suspected or confi rmed Covid-19 patients in malaria-ende- A 30-year-old Nyandarua woman and her fi ve-year-old deduct Sh10 billion from NG-CDF coff ers to raise cash for the mic areas might be required to receive a malaria diagnostic daughter were murdered early ursday morning in their Covid-19 emergency response. e Budget and Appropria- test should WHO rules be adopted. Similarly, those confi r- Chekaleri village home, Ol Joro Orok. tions team said substantial proportion had been committed. med to have malaria will have to undergo Covid-19 tests. PAGE 3 PAGE 8 PAGE 10 2 THE-STAR.CO.KE Friday-Sunday, April 24-26, 2020 Health TEMPORARY ORDERS CAS Mercy Mwangangi during a press Church media free conference on coronavirus at to air services live Afya House on ursday ANNETTE WAMBULWA/Confronted by empty churches /MERCY MUMO during the virus crisis, bishops, pastors and their media teams can now broadcast live services. Justice James Makau issued temporary orders on ursday allowing church broadcasting crews and church leaders to air their services. However, they must abide by all the state regula- tions, such as social distancing, handwashing and sanitising. Gatherings, including church service, have been banned because the coronavirus is easily transmitted in crowds. Two pastors had sued to suspend the directive banning church gatherings. Justice Makau barred the police from victimising or harassing the group of people in church for purposes of broadcasting. “Pending the hearing and determination of this application, the courts be pleased to order alternative forms of worship such as broadcasting of church services, be allowed on specifi c days.” “[ is is] to allow various churches to broadcast CONTAINMENT MEASURES to their faithful congregants without victimisation and harassment of the broadcasting crew, church elders, leaders and congregants who will be part of the church service,” the order reads. State to announce review ALLOWANCES DISPUTE of corona rules next week Health workers CAS says team has been set up to assess impact of restrictions issue strike notice STAR REPORTER ferent players to be able to defi ne a said. Industries have also been MAGDALINE SAYA/Health care in the country might be @ eStarKenya mechanism that will be adequate urged to focus on producing qual- disrupted in seven days after unions threatened to in ensuring Kenyans who may not ity sanitising products to avoid cre- call their members on strike over disparities in risk e decision on whether to tighten be able to meet these bills are taken ating new problems while solving allowance. FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL 24-26, 2020 APRIL 24-26, FRIDAY-SUNDAY, or loosen the coronavirus measures care of,” she said. the Covid-19 problem. ey want the allowances harmonised, saying will be communicated next week. e number of positive cases as “We have observed that some some workers get Sh20,000 and others Sh3,000. A team has been set up to assess at ursday was 320 after 17 addi- public service vehicles are defying e unions are Kenya National Union of Nurses, and review the impact of the var- tional cases were reported. social distancing regulations, and Kenya Union of Clinical Offi cers, Kenya National ious measures, among them hand e 17 were picked from 668 are increasingly sliding back to the Union of Medical Laboratory Offi cers, Kenya Health washing, social distancing, 60 per samples that had been tested with- old ways of conducting business,” Professionals Society and the Kenya National Union cent occupancy in PSVs and take- in 24 hours. Mwangangi said. of Pharmaceuticals Technologists. away services by hotels. ey included nine men and “Action shall be taken against “It is the feeling of the health workers that the “We have come up with a matrix eight women aged between 22 and any matatu found carrying more awarding of this particular allowance did not con- that will be evaluated this Sunday 60. Twelve were from Nairobi and than the recommended number of sider the factors that inform who is at the highest during the NERC meeting and, fi ve from Mombasa. passengers.” risk in the line of health care provision,” KUCO therefore, decisions will be made Fifteen were picked by the sur- e ministry said being quar- chairman Peterson Wachira said. as to whether these containment veillance teams while two were antined is neither detention nor He said the determination of exposure to risk measures need to be tightened from mandatory quarantine cen- punishment, but rather a measure should take into consideration time, work environ- or loosened,” Health CAS Mercy tres. meant to serve the greater good. ment and, most importantly, knowledge of the risk. Mwangangi said on ursday. Mwangangi urged Kenyans to “ e current pandemic puts every health work- In addition, the committee will PATIENTS DISCHARGED stop stigmatising those sent to er at risk, with the greatest risk to frontline health evaluate the issue of cost and bill- Six more patients were discharged quarantine facilities and those who workers who always get infected and have the high- ing of Covid-19 patients in health from health facilities, bringing the have recovered from the disease. est number of infection among health professionals facilities and give direction. total number of recoveries to 89. “ e fact that we have many who yet they are the least considered and lowly paid,” “We have a database current- “However, we are also noticing a have recovered is an indication that Wachira said. ly looking at the diff erent billing trend where we are getting newer we are capable of eff ectively man- e unions want frontline workers to be paid data both in public and private admissions every single day. I am aging and defeating this disease,” Sh30,000, which is “commensurate with the risk”. facilities and we are engaging dif- happy to announce that other than she said. ey complained that most health workers were two who are in ICU, the rest are The government announced having challenges with transport, with cases re- mild cases and will hopefully be that individuals taken into quar- ported of police harassment and arrests on their discharged in the proper order of antine facilities for breaching way home from duty. STAR SURVEY time,” Mwangangi said. curfew directives will be tested ey want the government to either provide e ministry has emphasised for Covdi-19 and released if they commuter allowance or vehicles to take them home TODAY’S QUESTION the need for consistency in dis- turn negative. after work. cipline among the youth, adding Acting director general of Health e government should provide accommodation Have you suff ered from malaria in that world over, it has emerged that Patrick Amoth has said on urs- for those working in high-risk facilities such as iso- the majority of the asymptomatic day those released will be advised lation and quarantine areas and high-risk counties, the past year? positives are children and young to self-quarantine. t h ey say. adults. He said quarantine facilities have “It is unfortunate counties are employing clinical Mwangangi said asymptomatic now fast tracked coronavirus test- offi cers on casual contracts with a gross salary as transmissions pose a challenge to ing to allow the release of those low as Sh30,000, which is exploitative and demoti- YESTERDAY’S QUESTION the containment of Covid-19. who test negative from the centres. vating to our members,” Wachira said. “It is, therefore, imperative that Mwangangi cautioned against e workers want all short-term contracts remu- Do you still trust Nairobi Governor all our frontline people—truck the stigmatisation of those sent to nerated as permanent and pensionable, and those drivers, matatu drivers, journal- the facilities. on long-term contracts admitted to the permanent Mike Sonko? ists, bankers, security and health “Being quarantined is neither and pensionable category. personnel—wash their hands with detention, nor a punishment. ey want the employment of additional health running water and soap, and wear Quarantine is meant to serve the workers fast-tracked to ease pressure on existing YES 21% face masks at all times,” she said greater public good, which is pub- s t a ff . e CAS advised Kenyans against lic health,” she said. e unions said their leadership had been left out over-reliance on sanitiser, add- On April 15, Health CS Mutahi of planning for Covid-19 mitigation, making them ing that while it is eff ective, soap Kagwe announced that total of 455 unaware of plans by the government to protect and individuals have been put in man- NO 79% and running water are the best for motivate their members.