Health Cabinet Secretary Dr Cleopa Mailu has closed San Valencia and Jacaranda hotels in Nairobi following the outbreak of cholera. He also ordered all food handlers to be retested, according to a tweet by Citizen TV.
The move comes days after two Cabinet Secretaries, Henry Rotich and Adan Mohammed, were taken ill after taking food at a trade fair at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. About 50 other people were affected. San Valencia supplied water at the function.
However, Kenyans on Twitter have come out to criticise the move, wondering why Weston hotel, which is associated with Deputy President William Ruto, was spared when it had cholera cases two weeks ago.
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The government has raised alarm over fears the pandemic is spreading in various counties. However, what has raised the concern is the fact that even high end hotels and restaurants have been affected.
Weston hotel on Langata Road was the first to be affected when several doctors attending an international conference were infected late last month. The hotel blamed the incident on outsourced fish.
Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga also suffered food poisoning after consuming a meal of fish in Mombasa.
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The Cholera outbreak has been linked to shortage of water that has hit the country. In Nairobi, water is being rationed after levels and Ndakaini dam went down due to drought. Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko this week announced the formation of a task force to ensure the situation is brought under control.
Three people have died and 336 cases of food poisoning and cholera recorded in Nairobi County since May, he revealed.
Kioko cancelled all medical certificates for food handlers and directed county health departments to do fresh medical examinations before issuing new licences. Food hawking has also been banned.
Members of the task force are drawn from Amref, Ministry of Water, Kenya Red Cross Society,Unicef, WHO , UNHCR among others.
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