Sakaja apologises for flouting directive on pandemic.

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has on Monday 20th July 2020, resigned as the Chair of the Senate Adhoc Committee on Covid-19 following a Friday night saga in which he was arrested by the police for flouting curfew rules. Speaking on Monday 20th July 2020, outside the Kilimani Police Station, Sakaja apologised to Kenyans for flouting the government curfew directives. He indicated that he had decided to resign as the chairman of the Committee on Covid-19 in order to set an example and take responsibility for his actions, ”“On flouting the rules I apologise to Kenyans and I will pay the full consequence of the law, I also wish to state that I resign from the Ad hoc Committee on Covid-19 which I have been chairing, we have done a lot of work that the government and the officers across the country. but because of that responsibility I need to set, I have this morning written to the Speaker.”

”I was outside my home after 9pm and that is against the rules. It is regrettable but all of us make mistakes. Thereafter I was brought here (Kilimani Police Station) by a huge contingent of officers. I was not charged or booked, they asked me to leave and I left. I will abide by the law”, he went on to say, ”I am not above the law. I have paid cash bail and will appear in Court tomorrow.The entire course of the law will be followed. If it is to be fined or jailed, the law will still apply to me just like every other Kenyan,” said the Senator.

Sakaja also urged Kenyans to follow the government directives on the Covid-19 pandemic, ”I do take responsibility and indeed I want to urge Kenyans want to urge Kenyans to follow government directives. It applies to all of us. The disease does not know any political office”.

The Nairobi Senator also took issue with the way the police handled the matter, ”The whole of Saturday and Sunday, there have been more than 50 officers brandishing guns have been going to my residence. I am not a fugitive. My children have not committed any crime.”

The move to apologise and resign elicited mixed reactions among Kenyans, with many taking to social media to express their views on the matter.

It's very rare in Kenya for a leader to come out and apologize for his mistakes.
#SakajaApologises pic.twitter.com/Bw4anJ5axO

— Le DaviE™ (@_idaviee) July 20, 2020

Others opined that the resignation was nothing more than a PR gimmick.

Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja should be under forced quarantine. After which he should face the law. But we are living in a double standard state. He is moving freely as he wish.

— Fridah48K😘 (@F_rida_h) July 20, 2020

Yenyewe politicians mtatuonyesha mambo just the other day Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja vehemently denied being arrested in a drinking den past curfew hours.

Today it's a totally different story he has suddenly taken responsibility 😂🤦!

— Daktari Gatero🇰🇪🔝🔬 (@DaktariGatero) July 20, 2020