A visit to Makueni County by American business magnate and philanthropist Bill Gates was marked by tight security that saw local politicians and even a contingent of policemen who had availed themselves to enhance his protection locked out.
His handlers also barred local media from covering the visit, only allow some international journalists to document his movements.
Earlier, the American billionaire and founder of Microsoft had met Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior at his office before engaging another group of community health volunteers at The Makueni Mother & Child Hospital.
The tight security left a bad taste in the mouths of some of the residents and local officials who had hoped to catch a glimpse of the famed Microsoft founder.
The frustrated lot includes Duncan Muindi, a painter based at Kathonzweni Township, who had expected to cash in on the billionaire's visit.
When he got wind of the planned visit by the philanthropist, he painted his mural on a 2 metre by 1 metre canvas.
“The acrylic on canvas drawing is centered on the countless windows of opportunities Bill Gates has opened all over the world. I started working on the painting on Monday at 9 pm and completed it an hour before he arrived. But I did not get a chance to hand it to him. However, his handlers said it was a fantastic piece of art”.
He said he expects that the county government to buy the painting and install it at Kathonzweni Dispensary, which was part of Mr Gates' tour, to serve as a reminder of the visit by the billionaire.
Lauds health workers
Mr Gates met lauded community health volunteers in Makueni County for the work they do in enhancing primary healthcare in the county.
“He engaged us through posing a series of questions. For instance, he wanted to know why our unit is comprised of a few community health volunteers against a huge population. We told him that some had fallen out because of lack of allowances. When he wanted to know why I had chosen to stay the challenges I said I felt it was more of a calling than a job. He lauded us for being committed to promoting skilled birth attendance in the region,” Mr Julius Sanya, a community health volunteer at Kathonzweni region, told the Nation after a closed-door meeting with Mr Gates at Kathonzwweni Dispensary.
Makueni is among the counties with a vibrant community health model. To support the community health volunteers, the county government has offered them motorbikes which serve as boda bodas for income and as ambulances to enhance linkages to hospitals.
“We appealed for funding to set up more income generating activities to sustain ourselves,” Mr Sanya added.
He also visited a farmer at Muvau region. However, he did not make any commitments.
“We made a serious presentation on our healthcare workers and our budgets. He had a very keen interest in knowing how we cope with the problem of receiving only 50 per cent of what we require from Kenya Medical Supplies Agency and how we plug in the gaps. He also wanted to understand the workings of community health volunteers,” Governor Kilonzo Jnr told reporters after meeting the US businessman.
“This was an initial meeting. At the meeting with the Council of Governors and at the meeting with the national government they want to see if they can replicate what is happening here in other counties so that they can help the country as a whole. This is just a learning experience so that they can ask the other counties what they are doing and whether we can have a one size fits all which they can fund because they fund big time programmes. At a later date I am going to have a discussion with Thinkwell and Agra, the partners Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation deals with to see whether we can tap into some of their resources and markets,” Mr Kilonzo Jnr added.
