How Covid-19 has changed operations at City Hall
City Hall in Nairobi. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The long queues at City Hall vanished as number of residents seeking for services had to be managed.
- Working in shifts for staff was introduced and wearing face masks became mandatory.
When the first case of coronavirus hit the country in March, it was never imagined that the impact of the virus would be far-reaching.
However, just weeks after the announcement by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe of Kenya’s first positive case, reality started to sink in.
But still, most institutions put up a brave face and continued with their normal operations – Nairobi County was one of them.
Nonetheless, the situation soon changed with cases rising with each day, forcing both the county assembly and the Executive to wake up to the reality.
STAFF TESTED POSITIVE
Operations at the two arms of Nairobi County had to adhere to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health in dealing with Covid-19.
The turning point for the county Executive was when a staff at the procurement department tested positive for Covid-19, leading to drastic measures being put in place.
The long queues at City Hall vanished as number of residents seeking for services had to be managed.
Working in shifts for staff was introduced and wearing face masks became mandatory.
A sanitising booth was erected at the entrance of both the assembly and City Hall with social gatherings discouraged. Social distancing, fumigation, face masks are now a must-have accessories at City Hall.
Most staff were sent home and leaner workforce allowed in offices in strict compliance with social distancing guidelines.
“It is very hard to get services at City Hall. They do not allow long queues and even those who are allowed in have to wait for long as staff serving them are few,” said Mary Kinyanjui, a Nairobi resident.
OPERATIONS AFFECTED
Nairobi Health Executive Hitan Majevdia says Covid-19 has affected operations at City Hall.
He says that City Hall is now a pale shadow of its former self with most staff keeping away from their offices.
“I come to the office but I have to sanitise every now and then. I also have been forced to have a fumigator for my office. But I hardly see people here,” he avers.
The assembly side has also not left behind in instituting new measures to conform to the crisis that the country faced that saw the assembly suspended on March 16, 2020 by Speaker Beatrice Elachi.
The assembly would go on a recess for close to three months. And ahead of its re-opening on June 2, Speaker Elachi announced new guidelines that would inform operations at the assembly going forward.
VIRTUAL MEETINGS
The committees have gone virtual, save for crucial ones, no press conferences inside the assembly precincts and even the number of journalists accessing the assembly has been reduced.
“The number of days we used to attend plenaries have changed. We do not attend on Wednesdays as it used to be,” says Minority Leader David Mberia.
As part of the guidelines, only 42 out of the 122 MCAs are allowed into the Chambers with only the House leadership allowed entry into every sitting while the rest having to alternate to give each member equal opportunity to attend the plenary.
The assembly borrowed from the National Assembly and is now having two sessions in the morning and afternoon on Tuesdays and an afternoon session on Thursdays with Wednesdays left for fumigation of the chamber.
Further, the county legislators have had to call assistant clerks of the House Business Committee to express their intention to attend plenary sitting and the decision would be made on first come, first served basis and also on political affiliations.
“We are now back to school days where we have to register to be allowed in. It is only leadership that is assured but others have to call the clerk assistants that they will be attending the plenary. If your name does not appear then you will not be allowed inside the chamber,” says Woodley MCA Mwangi Njihia.
Dandora Area 4 MCA Francis Ngesa says the usual interactions among ward representatives have also gone down due to social distancing.
“Coronavirus has affected us in a big way. We even have challenges interacting amongst ourselves as members have to adhere to social distancing rules.”
