CS Kagwe firing KEMRI top Scientist Dr Joel Lutomiah goes tribal, experts warn of fallout

CS Mutahi Kagwe at Afya House. PHOTO | RMS

CS Health Mutahi Kagwe now on the spot after firing KEMRI top researcher for delaying results. Now experts say the ministry of health has now resorted to Politicising and tribalism in the professional fields.

Experts say the Deputy Director, Center for Virus Research, Dr Joel Lutomiah has 40 years in research and he knows about the safety of his people that why he was fighting for them.

The fired Directors is said to have been vocal on protecting his juniours to be given Personal Protective Equipment(PPE). He said that without being given PPEs then they will halt results transmission. That is what irked the Health CS Mutahi Kagwe.



Experts, however, claims that the CS Mutahi Kagwe probable wanted to have a mate from his backyard to relay the results as it was easier for him to manipulate.



"On February 28, 2020, Mutahi Kagwe was ordered by Court to trace and detain 239 Chinese nationals who had landed at JKIA. He did not and is still in office, " LSK President Nelson Havi said.



"How egregious is KEMRI Ag. Deputy Director, Center for Virus Research, Dr Joel Lutomiah’s misconduct to warrant summary dismissal?" Havi added.



"Dr Joel Lutomiah has over 40 years of research experience. He's an expert in parasitology, entomology, pandemic influenza, and arbovirology. He's written dozens of scientific papers and he leads 6,000 top minds at KEMRI. Mutahi Kagwe has an MBA from USIU. Who should fire the other?" stated Starehe MP Charles 'Jaguar' Njagua.