Kakamega Level Six Hospital, Bukhungu Stadium to be completed before end year, Ruto announces

President William Ruto launching of the Kakamega town affordable housing units at Milimani estate in Kakamega on Tuesday/HILTON OTENYO

President William Ruto has said the national government will complete the Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital before October this year.

Addressing residents in Kakamega Town, the President said the government will also equip the hospital so it can begin serving people in the region.

“We want it to be a full Level Six hospital so that residents will not need to travel to either Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret or Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu,” he said.

Ruto said he had instructed the contractor upgrading Bukhungu Stadium to ensure the facility is complete before December.

“We want the stadium to be completed so that by next year, when we’re hosting AFCON, Kakamega is in the equation,” he said.

The President handed over 200 affordable housing units at Milimani Estate and performed the groundbreaking for the construction of an additional 2,000 units under the Boma Yangu Programme at Otiende Estate.

He said the government intends to construct a total of 7,500 affordable housing units in Kakamega County.

According to Ruto, the programme is driving socio-economic growth across 111 constituencies by expanding access to affordable housing and creating jobs for youth and women, in line with the government’s development agenda.

Earlier, the President inspected the Malava Water Supply and Sanitation Project and the Chwele-Kibabii Water Projects in Malava and Kabuchai constituencies, respectively.

He also broke ground for the Chesikaki Water Supply Project in Mt Elgon Constituency in Bungoma County.

President Ruto also inspected the Chwele Modern Market in Kabuchai Constituency and laid the foundation stone for the Cheptais Modern Market in Mt Elgon Constituency. He also commissioned a rural electrification project at Cheptais Centre and the construction of classrooms at Toroso Primary School in Mt Elgon Constituency.

Leaders present, including Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, and Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, welcomed the projects, noting their potential to transform Kakamega town and stimulate local economic activities.

MPs Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani), Christopher Aseka (Khwisero), Dindi Mwale (Butere), Innocent Mugabe (Likuyani), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), and Elsie Muhanda (Kakamega Woman Representative), among other elected leaders, accompanied the President.

Ruto dismissed the opposition as a grouping without an agenda for Kenyans. The President is on a four-day working tour of the Western region that began on Monday.

While launching the Chwele Modern Market in Mt Elgon, the President said the facility will significantly improve business activities while providing a clean and conducive environment for traders.

“I will be coming back in August to officially open this market so that our mama mboga can start operating from a dignified and well-organised space,” he said.

Ruto noted that the national government is implementing an ambitious programme to construct modern markets across the country, revealing that 15 markets are already underway in Bungoma, with plans to add five more to support small-scale traders.

The President also announced major investments in water infrastructure aimed at improving access to clean water.

He said the government will invest Sh230 million to extend an 88-kilometre water pipeline to supply households in the Kibabii and Kanduyi areas within Bungoma town.

In addition, Ruto revealed that Sh2 billion funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency will be used to construct another major water plant to serve the towns of Kapsokwony, Kimilili, Naitiri, and Webuye.