- The governor said he envisages transforming the health sector into leading medical tourism destination in Kenya.
- Barasa said he will institute radical reforms in the water sector.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has said his government will prioritise health, wealth creation and food security to transform the lives of residents.
In his inaugural speech to the first session of the third assembly on Tuesday, Barasa said his administration will also focus on education, good governance and social development as key thematic areas to drive his development agenda.
The governor said he envisages transforming the health sector into leading medical tourism destination in Kenya, reforming the water sector and ending over reliance by residents on imports from neighbouring counties.
“We will collaborate with the National government to ensure full completion and operationalisation of the Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital. I have plans to ensure the facility becomes a model medical centre in the entire Lake Region Economic Bloc and the larger East African Community,” he said.
The 750-bed capacity hospital will have 13 theatres, 36 adult intensive care beds, 10 neonatal intensive care beds, 12 hemodialysis beds, and an elaborate cancer centre among other specialised units.
It is one of the flagship projects started by former governor Wycliffe Oparanya and it is expected to offer employment to over 5,000 people.
The county is in the process of handing over the facility to the National government for competition, equipping and operationalisation.
“I commit to deal with cartels specifically at the county general hospital that have made it increasingly difficult for the residents to access quality health services,” he said.
Barasa said he will institute radical reforms in the water sector to ensure the Kakamega County Urban Water and Sanitation Company (Kacuwasco) and the Kakamega County Rural Water and Sanitation Company (Kacrwasco) offer efficient services to residents.
The governor singled out strengthening accountability by putting in place proper digital financial management systems as part of the expected reforms.
“We shall provide an enabling environment for the two companies to coexist, share available resources and deliver water and offer other services to the people and institutions at tariffs that are affordable,” the county chief said.
He said ensuring that households are connected to clean water is not just a moral and administrative obligation but a constitutional requirement that must be fulfilled under his regime.
The governor said his focus will be on growing own revenue sources to try and address challenges counties face on disbursement of equitable revenue from National Treasury.
“In this case, I have already directed immediate review of the operations of our revenue agency which include but not limited to automating all the activities that are geared towards collecting more revenue and exploring the diverse revenue streams that are provided for under the Kakamega County Finance Act, 2022 to sustain our development agenda for the next five years,” he said.
He said sectorial chairpersons of the Council of Governors have agreed to diversify own revenue streams to raise more revenue.
“We shall pay close attention to the royalties which we are going to obtain from the mining activities in the county besides own revenue sources,” he said.
-Edited by SKanyara