Siaya MCA condemns indecent burial of Covid-19 suspect, wants Rasanga to apologize

 Central Alego MCA Leonard Oriaro{L} with his colleague during a past press conference at Siaya County Assembly.He has condemned the indecent burial at night of a man suspected of succumbing to Corona virus-Photo Courtesy 

  By Dickson Odhiambo

April 13, 2020

Siaya MCA condemns indecent burial of Covid-19 suspect, wants Rasanga to apologize

A MEMBER of the County Assembly of Siaya has strongly condemned an act of indecent and unprofessional burial of a suspected victim of the Corona virus on Saturday night in Ugenya sub-county.

Central Alego Ward Member of County Assembly Leonard Oriaro has condemned what he terms as unbecoming process through which Siaya Authorities had hurriedly conducted the disposal of the body of a suspected Covid-19 victim at Ukwala Village of Ugenya Sub-county within Siaya County.

In a press statement sent to the newsrooms, Oriaro who is also a member of the County Assembly of Siaya health Committee said the laid down guidelines by the National Government on the disposal steps should be followed on the body of persons who have succumbed to corona virus.

“I want to be categorical that the county Government of Siaya Governor together with  his county Public Health personnel have been badly exposed as one who are ignorant of the rules of the game in so far as the National and global handling of the entire Covid-19 pandemic is concerned,” Oriaro says.

Oriaro says the Governor bears political responsibility on the alleged mishandling of the suspected Ugenya Covid-19 victim.

“I urge the Governor to apologize on behalf of his County Government on the public shame not only brought to the deceased family but also as well to Siaya County residents and the Kenya public at large,” Oriaro adds.

He asks President Uhuru Kenyatta to firmly read riot act to any county government that may disregard its national directive as to the agreeable universal steps to honor those who have succumb to the Corona virus.

Unconfirmed reports indicates that Siaya County Governor Cornel Rasanga Amoth has appointed a three-member team headed by the County Police Boss Francis Kooli and County Executive Committee Member in charge of Governance Dismas Wakla to probe the matter and bring a report within two days to the County Covid-19 Emergency team on who issued directives that the victim be inhumanly buried against the family wishes.

Rasanga claims the decision was arrived at without consulting his Committee, adding that they were only informed on the same on Sunday evening at 4:00pm.

He has promised to take a stern disciplinary action against those involved in the heinous act, adding that he will assist the family to perform final rites immediately they are out of quarantine.

The abrupt and unprofessional burial of James Oyugi in Ugenya, a suspected Covid-19 victim  last Weekend at around 2:00am has stunned the whole country with a number of people condemning it while asking the body to be exhumed through a court order and given a dignified send off.

ENDS: