Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe broke his silence on Thursday, July 9, on claims that he paid Pastor Robert Burale to fake COVID-19 infection.
Speaking in Mombasa during the routine Covid-19 update, the CS refuted the claims saying that he did not know who the pastor was or why he would lie about contracting the deadly disease.
“I have never heard of this guy. You are saying he is supposed to have been paid, by who? I don’t know what he is doing. When it comes to issues like rumours, if I were to respond to every rumour I would be very busy.
“I honestly don’t know about him. I don’t know who would have paid him or why he would be pretending. The guy might probably be sick but you have decided that he is not. Let me leave that one out,” state the CS.
The city clergy announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, July 6, through his Facebook page and a subsequent interview with Radio Maisha’s Massawe Japani.
“For two days I fought for my life under the great care of the doctors and nurses at Nairobi Hospital. I saw the hand of God.
“My progress is good and my vitals are responding well. For anyone who thinks this thing is a joke… may the Lord have mercy on you,” he stated.
However, an Instagram video sparked uproar after he was seen dressed in a t-shirt and cap.
Netizens argued that the appearance was less convincing for someone who was on Oxygen in an ICU – a claim that was clarified that the celebrity pastor was not under intensive care.
“I never need to defend myself for being unwell. I am fully recovering and I am not in the Intensive Care Unit. I am in an isolation ward,” Burale stated with the video showing medics attending to other patients in the ward.
