Uhuru Directs Cabinet Members to Take COVID-19 Vaccine

President Kenyatta has directed members of the Cabinet and the Executive office to lead by example by taking the COVID-19 vaccine. 

The directive applies to all Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Cabinet Administrative Secretaries, and government executive officials.

While announcing the president’s directive on Friday, State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita shared a photo of himself being inoculated against COVID-19.

“As the Government scales up the rollout of the national #COVID19Vaccine program, H.E the President has directed his entire Cabinet & Executive Office to lead by example & get the jab! Received mine this morning under the watchful guidance of the @MOH_Kenya vaccination team,” Waita wrote on Twitter.

On Thursday, the Health Ministry expressed concerns about the low uptake of the AstraZeneca vaccine and urged political, religious and community leaders to get vaccinated to boost public confidence in the jab.

“The Ministry calls upon all political, religious, and community leaders to take the vaccine so as to boost confidence in the overall vaccination process among vaccination target groups,” the ministry said in a statement.

Amid a third wave of COVID-19 in the country, the ministry added people aged 58 years and above to the vaccine priority list.

“According to our data these are at most risk of severe disease and account for 60% of our recorded deaths,” the ministry added.