Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro has threatened to remove containers preserving bodies from the Shakahola tragedy and dump them at the Kenyatta National Hospital....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The governor issued a five-day ultimatum to the government to remove the bodies or he will tow the containers from the Malindi Subcounty Hospital.
Speaking in Dagamra, Magarini subcounty, after a food distribution exercise to flood victims, Mung’aro said the preservation of the bodies has been a burden to the county and a nuisance to those visiting the hospital.
“Those who have been visiting Malindi Subcounty Hospital must have realised there is a foul smell coming from the mobile mortuary. I have constructed nice wards in the hospital, but the foul smell comes from the containers preserving the Shakahola bodies,” he said.
“By Monday if the government will not have removed the bodies, doctors in the hospital should tow the containers and dump them in Kenyatta [National Hospital].”
According to the governor, the county has paid Sh36 million in power bills to preserve the bodies.
“I have paid power bills using money meant for Kilifi people. I have paid money to support the activities in Shakahola. This is a national government function. I do not have a budget for that. How do I account for such money when the auditor general questions the expenditure,” he said.
“I pay Sh2.9 million every month. I have tried to get help from the government but in vain. I talked to the regional commissioner and he called Nairobi and they promised to help but nothing has happened,” he said.
Mung’aro says he asked Gender CS Aisha Jumwa and the Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura to deliver the message to Kindiki and President William Ruto.
He said the location where the containers are stationed is earmarked for the expansion of the Malindi hospital.
“We want to construct an emergency and outpatient wing where the containers are. We have already floated the tender worth Sh150 million but we cannot go ahead with the construction because of the containers,” the governor said.
Malindi hospital has two containers with 429 bodies exhumed from the Shakahola Forest.
Only six bodies have been released to their families.
In his visit to Kilifi in March, Kindiki announced that the national government would assist the Kilifi government in offsetting power bills..CONTINUE READING>>
