Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi to face prosecution for refusing to self-quarantine

Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Health Mutahi Kagwe addresses the media outside Harambee House in Nairobi on Sunday, March 22, 2020. COURTESY: TWITTER/Ministry of Health

Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi will face prosecution for refusing to quarantine himself for the mandatory 14 days after returning from a trip abroad.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe made the announcement on Sunday during a press briefing at Harambee House in Nairobi where he confirmed that the government had confirmed eight new cases.

Saburi had travelled back from Germany, allegedly refused to quarantine himself for the mandatory 14 days.

“All persons who violate the self-quarantine requirement will be forcefully quarantined for a full 14 days at their cost and thereafter arrested and charged in accordance with the Public Health Act. This will apply to a senior government official in Kilifi who defied and refused to self-quarantine, who is now being forcibly quarantined in a facility and upon the completion of the period given by our health authorities, the official will be charged in a court of law,” CS Kagwe said.

A senior county official had confirmed the reports that the deputy governor had been placed under quarantine for 14 days after he refused to go into self-isolation after the foreign trip.

“It is true he failed to put himself in 14 days quarantine, but I cannot discuss more on this through the phone,” said the official who also did not immediately reveal details on where the deputy governor is being quarantined.

Locals took to the social media to condemn the deputy governor, referring to him as a “selfish and irresponsible leader” who has put the lives of many Kilifi residents at risk.

This was after some residents claimed they interacted with Mr Saburi, shook hands and even hugged him after his return from Germany.

Later on Sunday, Kilifi County Governor Amason Kingi confirmed that he and all his staff who came into contact with a senior official who tested positive for the virus, have been in quarantine since March 19. Kingi added that though he had tested negative, he will comply with the full 14 days of self-quarantine.

Source(s): Ministry of Health