An alleged move by the national government to demolish a sanitation booth erected by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in Roysambu has elicited an angry reaction from residents amid the novel Coronavirus health crisis.
In a post on Facebook, Sonko said the booth that had been erected at Marurui Stage was brought down yesterday by the area chief who was acting on instructions from Deputy County Commissioner.
A video shared by the governor shows residents accusing the national government of frustrating efforts by Sonko to help in the fight against Covid-19 in the area.
According to the residents, the sub-county administration had done little to flatten the curve but had the guts to destroy the facility.
Read: Court Bars State From Demolishing Sonko’s Sanitizing Booths
The demolition, Sonko said, goes against a court order barring interference by the government on his Sonko Rescue Team (SRT) charity activities.
“Despite the High Court order restraining the Government from vandalising our public sanitization booths, today the DCC Kasarani Mr. Kaimba, chief Roysambu Mr. Mbai went ahead and vandalized our booth in Marurui, at Marurui stage, Roysambu. Mungu halali Jameni!” Sonko wrote on Monday night.
The Sonko Rescue Team had moved to the High Court to protest demolition of its booths erected in various parts of Nairobi by police and officers said to be from the Ministry of Health.
Read Also: Sonko Faults PS Kibicho Over Vandalized Public Sanitisation Booth In Kibra
The order barring the state from demolishing the booths was issued by High Court Judge Weldon Korir on April 28.
Justice Korir also barred state agents and officials from stopping donation of foodstuff and face masks to residents of areas including Mathare, Kibra, Buruburu, Greenspan.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe and his Interior counterpart Fred Matiang’i were named as respondents in the case.
Through lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, Sonko argued that the malicious damage of the booths should not be allowed as the Sonko Rescue Team is merely supplementing the government’s effort in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read Also: Sonko Threatens To Sue PS Karanja Kibicho At ICC Over Crimes Against Humanity
Kinyanjui stated that the organization had suffered a huge loss following the demolition of booths in Kibra, Kencom and Buruburu.
Meanwhile, it also emerged yesterday that members of the Sonko Rescue Team were arrested while distributing foodstuff and putting up tents for evictees in the sewerage area of Kariobangi.
The 10 staff members were taken to Kariobangi Police Station
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