The Bomet administration has terminated a contract it had with the Kenya Red Cross’ E-plus services on the provision of ambulance services.
For the six ambulances leased, the county paid Sh3.6 million monthly which translates to Sh43 million yearly.
Governor Hillary Barchok announced the decision after meeting Red Cross secretary general Asha Mohammed and other officials in his office.
Barchok said they have opted to acquire their ambulances at a cheaper cost as compared to the leased ones.
The county now has two ambulances providing services to the residents. They were acquired for Sh23 million by late Governor Joyce Laboso.
He said that the county had ambulances which had developed mechanical problems but were yet to be re-serviced.
“We have opted to stop the leasing since it was becoming too expensive for us yet we have ambulances lying in garages and which needed repairing to be functional again,” he said.
The deal with the Red Cross to provide the ambulance services to the county was signed by former Governor Isaac Rutto in 2014.
Several leaders from the county argued the deal was dubious as residents would stand to lose millions of money.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission probed several officials who served in Rutto’s administration and charged them for the procurement of the service. They were cleared of any wrongdoing.
The ambulances operated until 2017 when Laboso reduced the number from six to three.
Barchok agreed to provide land to the Red Cross to set to put up a regional centre.
The Red Cross has undertaken various projects in the county which include the Sh364 million Sigor water system serving 60,000 residents in Chepalungu. The second phase of the project, jointly implemented with the county at a cost of 595 million, is ongoing.
Other projects include the Chebangang water project in Konoin which will serve 54,000 people and Tebeswet water pan in Bomet east with a capacity of 2.5 million litres.
(edited by o. owino)
