Think before you talk nonsense on social media, Uhuru says as he defends move to send flowers to NHS

President Uhuru Kenyatta urged a section of Kenyans “quick at speculating and spreading rumours” that his government is embezzling COVID-19 funds to think before they “post nonsensical messages on social media”.

Speaking at State House-Nairobi as he presided over Labour Day celebrations on Friday, May 1, the president assured Kenyans that all monies remitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will be accounted for “in broad daylight”.

His remarks come on the back of speculations that some of the monies meant to fight the spread of coronavirus in Kenya have already been misused or pocketed by individuals at the Ministry of Health.

A section of Kenyans questioned how the Ministry of Health allocated Ksh4 million to tea and snacks kitty, Ksh9 million for printing COVID-19 patients’ discharge forms, Ksh70 million for communications yet TV adverts are being aired at not fee, and how the Ministry of Health allocated at least Ksh40 million to maintenance and fuel costs of 30 leased ambulances. These monies were part of Ksh2.2 billion COVID-19 funds said to have been spent.

And now, President Uhuru Kenyatta has told Kenyans not to worry, as “every coin channeled to the COVID-19 response kitty will be accounted for”.

“All the [COVID-19] monies will be audited in broad daylight,” he said, adding: “We shall make public information about the spending. This is not the time for a section of leaders to polarise people. Kenyans will know how each and every coin contributed to the COVID-19 response kitty was spent.”

The Head of State also defended Kenya’s recent move to send flowers to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Six days ago, Kenya sent 300 to the UK for compassion.

“Some said: ‘Uhuru’s priorities are upside-down; how could he send flowers to the UK? The money he spent on buying the flowers, and sending them to the UK, could have been used in combating coronavirus spread in Kenya, and hiring thousands of health workers’. Let me remind you that people remember those who stood with them at the time of need or sorrow,” said President Kenyatta.

“When normalcy will resume across the world after coronavirus is managed, and the UK’s businesspeople are in need of flowers, then they will remember the country that stood with them at a time of crisis – and that country will be Kenya,” he said.

“Let me urge you to think before you start talking nonsense on social media. This is not the time to be petty and cheap, it is time to work together and plan the future of this land,” said President Kenyatta.