A chief has been arrested for not having a pit latrine, an all important public health facility in the fight against cholera in Nyatike, Migori County.
Nyandago-Koweru location chief Henry Olima was arrested by area public health officers for not having a toilet during a public health campaign against cholera.
Nyatike Public Health Officer James Oguk said it was shocking that a person meant to spearhead a public health campaign in an area hit by frequent cholera outbreaks, had no toilet. “It is unfortunate that the area chief who should rally people to construct latrines to avert health related diseases like cholera does not have a latrine.
“He has been saying that he is immune by virtue of being a chief and has been inciting locals not to construct toilets,” he said.
The area was leading in the number of reported cholera cases, which prompted an operation to educate the people on sanitation and basic hygiene, key among being construction of toilets in each homestead.
Oguk said during the operation they realised the said location had the lowest toilet coverage at 40 per cent.
“The whole constituency has toilet coverage of 55 per cent at the moment. But we realised Nyandago-Koweru location had the lowest number of latrines. So when we sought to find out why, we found out that the person supposed to help implement the directive did not have a latrine either,” Oguk said.
The chief was taken to Macalder Police Post and released on a bond of Sh5,000.
He will be arraigned in court on Tuesday. When The Standard on Sunday contacted him on phone for comment he denied being arrested.
“I have to consult my authorities before I can say anything. But I suggest we meet face-to-face and discuss this before it goes to press,” he said.
Sub county police commissioner James Namtala confirmed the arrest.
“I summoned the chief when the public health officers came to my office and ensured that the police took up the matter,” said Namtala.
Oguk said they are on a mission to arrest all public service officers in Nyatike sub-county who do not have latrines.
The operation dubbed “Community led total sanitation” is meant to ensure that each home has a latrine.
The health officer said their main aim is to educate the people and where education fails, they use force.
“If a home can only manage a mud pit with walls made of leaves then that is fine, as long as they have a latrine however makeshift to help reduce cases of cholera in Nyatike,” Oguk said.