Fear and anxiety has gripped National Assembly members and senators after at least 17 of them were confirmed positive for the dreaded coronavirus that has claimed four lives in Kenya.

The legislators were among 52 members of the Senate and National Assembly who received their results on Tuesday, April 7, from the Ministry of Health after taking the voluntary tests last week.

Also affected were tens of parliamentary staff who were among those who took voluntary testing last week.

The names of the lawmakers were submitted to the ministry through National Assembly clerk Michael Sialai for mandatory testing.

Among those who were subjected to test and mandatory quarantine included members of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and the Delegated Legislation Committee.

The two committees with a membership of 38 held sittings on March 17 in which Rabai MP Kamoti Mwamkale also attended, he has since tested positive.

In the Senate, members who had travelled outside the country in the past 30 days were also tested and given back their results.

However, the leadership of the National Assembly has dismissed the report saying there was no such report because every legislator who was tested was given their results individually.

“It is not true….results are given to individual members,” said Speaker Justin Muturi.

National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale said he was not ware and it’s a sensational story.

The alleged 17 cases were not captured in Tuesday’s briefing by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, who announced 14 new cases.

On Monday, April 7, Speaker Muturi and his Senate counterpart Ken Lusaka suspended sittings that were to happen in the course of the week until further notice.

The Senate was set to hold a sitting on Tuesday, April 7, while the National Assembly was to convene on Wednesday, April 8, 2020.

An SMS sent to the lawmakers indicated the sittings were cancelled after review of health and safety arrangements for the legislators and staff while within parliament precincts.

-MSN