Kakamega emergency response at stake as no fire engines, ambulance

Kakamega residents have protested the absence of ambulance and fire services, which puts the emergency response capability of the county government at stake.

The county has operated without ambulance services for over two years, after the Kenya Red Cross, which had been contracted to offer the services, withdrew their fleet of ten vehicles due to delayed payment. The county’s four fire engines are grounded.

Senior officials who spoke to the Star in confidence also revealed that the county is struggling with rent arrears.

“Three people were burnt to death in a premise that operated as an orphanage in Joyland here in town because none of our four fire engines is functional. As we speak, two rented premises that host various departments have been locked by the landlords over accumulated rent,” the county official said.

One property owner has served the county government with a notice to vacate his premises, which houses revenue and trade development departments and the office of Governor Fernandes Barasa’s spouse, Prof Janet Kasilly, over 11 months’ rent arrears.

Seventeen rented ward administrators’ offices and the Mumias Municipality offices, which are owned by the Mumias Outgrowers Company, have also been closed for arrears and power supply to the county general hospital and the county headquarters has been disconnected over unpaid bills.

County secretary Lawrence Omuhaka blamed the challenges on delayed disbursement of funds.

Omuhaka said the county reduced the number of ambulances supplied by the Kenya Red Cross from 12 vans to three to cut costs. One ambulance was stationed in each of the county’s 12 constituencies.

“You know this cost is big because they’re charging over Sh600,000 per month for each ambulance, whether it’s carrying patients or not, because it’s a contractual agreement. When they withdrew, the governor said let them be,” he said.

The county is in the process of restoring the three ambulances: one will be stationed in the southern region, another in the northern region and the third in the central region.

One other ambulance will be stationed at the county general hospital, Omuhaka said.

The general hospital has been without electricity over three months’ unpaid bills, the official said, adding that the county government is in the process of paying the amounts owed.

The electricity bill for the hospital is Sh18 million per month.

“The hospital bills are normally settled using the revenue from SHA, which has not remitted funds to us for three months. This has forced the governor to organise alternative funds as we wait for the funds from SHA,” he said.

Omuhaka added that the county is in the process of restoring the grounded fire engines.

“The governor has directed that one of the engines, which has a faulty clutch, be repaired first before we repair the other three engines.” 

Payment of the rent arrears for the 17 ward administrators’ offices that have been closed by landlords is also in progress.

Omuhaka denied reports that the Kakamega Micro-Finance Corporation had been forced out of the rented space where it has been operating, saying the landlord moved the agency to Kotecha Plaza, which houses other county departments.