UGM wants investigations into Chinese COVID-19 kits

The United Green Movement (UGM) party is challenging the government to halt the use of Chinese testing kits in the COVID-19 war.

The party says that allegations by Tanzanian President Pombe Magufuli on the faultiness of the kits should be taken with the seriousness they deserve.

Through the Director of grassroots democracy Erick Ogada, the party says that Kenya should stop the usage of all kits donated by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma

Speaking in Nakuru, Ogada said that there could be a possibility that the kits from China are laced with the corona virus something which he called on the Ministry of health to investigate.

Ogada said that Kenya should procure COVID-19 testing kits from a neutral country and not China where the virus originate from.

He questioned a case in Nakuru where a 13 year old turned positive despite having no travel history outside the county and not having been in contact with any infected person.

“The government should get serious and stop giving us updates only,” he said

He added “they must take this issue seriously and go beyond the daily updates”.

He cited an example of India and other countries which he said had returned the testing kits it bought from China after they were declared faulty.

The party argues that allegations by Magufuli cannot just be taken lightly ad rubbished considering his stature as a President.

Ogada added that many Kenyans have developed a phobia of going for the testing over the fear of turning out positive after being tested by the faulty Chinese kits.

He called on President Kenyatta to order a total lockdown of counties with reported high COVID-19 cases after carrying out mass testing using new kits from another country and not China.

At the same time Ogada called on African Presidents through the African Union to stop importation and usage of Chinese testing kits by all African countries and launch an investigation into the claims of the kits being faulty.

Ogada noted that delay in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic was having serious socio-economic effects on Kenyans and called on the government to act speedily.

“The kind of negative effect this thing I shaving on our economy and lives of Kenyans is massive and if nothing is done to address that then things will get even worse,” he said.