Former Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has thanked the media for what he described as a good working relationship during his time in office when the country was battling Covid-19.
Kagwe who handed over to the new Health CS Susan Wafula on Monday at Afya House, Nairobi, referenced the viral memes generated out of his daily Covid-19 briefings at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
“I really want to thank the media, all those days you came and stood in front here waiting for a press conference every single day without fail. I know you made a lot of memes about me but I think the work that the media has done for this ministry has made our communication team’s work successful,” said Kagwe.
He commended journalists for educating Kenyans on the virus which has claimed over 5,600 lives locally, saying the pandemic could have been more fatal had it not been for the media’s input.
“Without you, the successes of Covid-19, the number of people who died could have been a lot more. The role you played in terms of educating and informing our people is what, to a large extent saved us as a nation,” said Kagwe.
At the same time, Kagwe said he is happy with the work he did at Afya House and urged Ms Wafula to pick it up from there.
“I am confident that my successor will be able to steer this ministry even further from where I have left it and I wish her all the best,” he said.
Wafula, 30, is the youngest Cabinet Secretary in President William Ruto’s cabinet which was sworn in last week.