By Jerome Ogoz
Dr Amoth will act forever, as the MOH Director General, until either Wanyonyi comes back or a substantial replacement from the mountain is found, whichever comes first
His biggest undoing is his ethnicity
This is the truth, which we must say, no matter how and who it unsettles. Why should we lie, when we can say the truth? It’s been a serious discussion with varying opinions
From the discussions MOH’s acting Director General, Dr Amoth and I’ve seen it wise to share with you one the responses, and that’s from my good friend Dr Mordecai
He puts its plainly that the obstetrician/gynecologist is simply UNQUALIFIED. Of course by now you should know what it means to be qualified, in Kenya
He also adds, that there is a possibility that he will continue holding that position, in an acting capacity, until after COVID-19 will be over, when a qualified Kenyan will be found for the position
Another reader opines that it is Dr Amoth who is running the ministry, as the other acrobats appear in press briefings to take credit for the management of the docket
Awacho ayueyo. In other non related news a friend tells me, adjusting to life in this COVID-19 era is a cumbersome task
Says he, of the directives given so far, regular handwashes, suspension of handshakes and a ban on public gatherings, are far easier for him, but the most difficult one is staying at home
He says that the kind of Pol Pot at home, controlling everything he does, including the number of times his heart beats, will kill him even before coronavirus knocks his door
He also tells me, even if a total lockdown is called, and the government deploys Recce and the Special Forces, to enforce this, he must sneak out and move to the road, because there is a special type of “msambwa” in him which makes him very uneasy if a day ends before he gets to see the tamarc road
Lastly, still coronavirus related matter, there were news that 32 “quarantinees” escaped custody in Mandera. I am not certain if they compromised those tasked to guard them, or they daringly put up a forceful escape, having in mind that Mandera is a difficult town and you can even have Al Shabaab guerrillas in custody, expecting them to adhere to such restrictions
I’ve also imagined that they were told to cater for their upkeep while in the facility, as it was with those who flew into Kenya, recently. This is where the government gets it wrong
If it can manage to feed tens of thousands of criminals in prison, then how can it not afford to cater for the few in quarantine facilities?
The government must ensure the quarantined can access, good meals, clean water, health care, entertainment, Wifi and possibly some little quarantine allowances, because these people aren’t being punished
You tell them cater for themselves and they will all escape to freedom, a lapse whose consequences are far devastating than that of an escaped remandee or prisoner convicted for drinking busaa