‘Protect your ventilators from 90yr-old youthful gov’t officers!’ LSK warns Kenyatta University

Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi has asked 16 Kenyatta University students who assembled a Ksh. 500,000 prototype ventilator to contact his office immediately.

The vocal lawyer warned that the students must protect their invention from “90-year-old Youthful Government Officers”.

Could the 16 Kenyatta University students who have assembled 500,000 prototype medical ventilators quickly get in touch with us. We need to protect your invention before some of those 90 years old Youthful Government Officers deprive you of your right.

— Nelson Havi (@NelsonHavi) April 11, 2020

Havi, in a Tweet that has since gone viral, warned the students that they risked getting their right deprived by shadowy government officials.

Kenyatta University Students at the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation centre on Saturday showcased prototypes of medical ventilators assembled at the institution.

All the materials that were used in making the ventilators were sourced locally.

The initiative was a joint collaboration among students from the engineering, nursing, medicine and pharmacy schools.

Kenyatta University Engineering School dean Dr.Shadrack Mambo and Prof Nicholas Gikonyo, who is the chairman of the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre, where the project is housed spearheaded the project.

The ventilators if commissioned for use, will come in handy in bolstering efforts in the fight against the fast-spreading coronavirus.

The ventilators are portable and can even be run by a battery if there is no other source of electricity available.

They can also be plugged into any monitor including TV screens making them easier to handle and operate.

Kenyatta University now says it has the capacity to produce 50 ventilators per week should the prototypes be okayed.

Citizen Digital also understands that the University has since filed a patent with the Kenya Industrial Property Institute.