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Protocol took a back seat during President William Ruto’s event at Uhuru Park where he commissioned 100,000 kits for community health promoters on September 25.
After his initial address, President Ruto called Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to run the rest of the program.
The head of state gave the county boss permission to use the presidential podium which is exclusively meant for the executive office of the president.
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“No, come run the event from here,” Ruto said.
“I apologise if you see me shaking a bit, this podium is very heavy,” Sakaja responded.
A few minutes into his speech, the governor was forced to move the podium by the president’s handlers.
“They are not taking the podium away, they want to move it to unblock your view,” Sakaja whispered to President Ruto.
Other leaders who made speeches also used the podium except Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who who declined.
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He noted the breach of protocol and said his discipline acquired while serving as an administration officer would not allow him to.
“I have chosen to speak from here because there has been a serious breach of protocol. The state podium is reserved for the head of state but I want to exonerate all those who have spoken there because it is the president himself who invited them to speak from there and breached protocol.
As a man who was in uniform, I politely decline the invitation by the president to breach protocol,” Gachagua said.
He added that President Ruto did not have a problem sharing his podium because “it is very difficult to get the hustler out of him.”
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Ruto unveils 100,000 kits for Community Health Promoters
In his speech, the head of state noted that the more than 100,000 health promoters in 47 Counties will be supervised by professional medics.
“Kenyans will now be served at their homes in the spirit of our transformative tact to serve the people,” he said.
He noted that the National Government will remunerate the workers in the form of stipends.
“I urge the healthcare workers to serve Kenyans with zeal; we must win the struggle for freedom from disease,” the head of state stated.
He pointed out that the health promoters are facilitated to provide a defined package of preventive and promotive health services.
Each promoter is charged with serving 100 homes.
They will be provided with basic equipment for household health screening.
They will also have smartphones to help transmit information, instruction and advice.
President Ruto explained that the Government will employ 20,000 healthcare workers in a bid to bring the ratio of healthcare workers to the population to 23:10,000.