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The Association of Public Health Officers – Kenya (APHOK) now wants investigating agencies to urgently step in and probe a Member of the Nairobi County Assembly accused of abuse of office and soliciting bribes.
The Association’s Secretary General, Mohamed Duba has urged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to intervene and investigate the veracity of the numerous complaints raised so far.
The Association demanded that the MCA be held accountable to not only ensure justice is done but also protect Nairobi Business Community from growing notoriety.
According to Duba, the MCA has allegedly been soliciting for bribes from business premises, especially restaurants and hotels, with the recent allegation being re-introducing food back to the market, which was seized by public health officers at Chiraq off Enterprise road.
Duba also stated that a Chinese restaurant in Lavington was shut down without any valid reason but reopened with the intervention of the same MCA after what they claimed to be ‘money exchanging hands’.
“We urge the MCA to desist from interfering with public health regulated functions, which are anchored in law and to also avoid violating established rules and regulations, which do not fall within his mandate in anyway. This behaviour amounts to being an imposter, a criminal offence and punishable by law,” said Duba.
The Association complained that the MCA’s actions have dampened the spirit of public health officers, in addition to impacting negatively on their service delivery.
The MCA is also accused of demanding a substantial amount of money from county public health officers and technicians failure to which they are threatened with transfers with accusations of non-performance and incompetence.
“Officers are harassed and intimidated with immediate transfers to an extent that they fear to execute their mandate and to talk of the ongoing malpractices. It is imperative to protect the Nairobi business community from corrupt practices,” he said.
In March, the Association wrote to EACC, where they indicated that the conduct of the same MCA is against the provision of Chapter Six of the Leadership and Integrity and Public Officers Ethics Act, which is against the principle of public service espoused by the Constitution.
So brazen is the conduct of the MCA, that he goes around the county in the name of enforcing the Food Drugs and Chemical Substance Act Cap 254 and Public Health Act Cap 242.
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