This move by Kitui county to set aside land for Utalii College campus and an AIC hospital is more than just infrastructure—it’s a strategic investment in long-term socioeconomic growth. By aligning education, healthcare and economic opportunities, the county positions itself as a future hub for hospitality training and medical services. It also signals a shift in devolved governance where counties no longer wait for the national government but proactively leverage partnerships for development. If successfully implemented, the projects could redefine Kitui’s image from a peripheral county to a regional centre of skills, jobs and better health outcomes.
Tiva Secondary School board of management chairman Justus Manandu and Kitui education executive Joyce Masila during the signing of the MoU on Wednesday /Musembi Nzengu
Kitui government has allocated land where Tiva Secondary School once stood for the construction of a Kenya Utalii College campus and a faith-based hospital, marking a major step towards expanding education and healthcare opportunities in the region.
The development fulfils a pledge made by former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, who had promised that the national government would establish Utalii College campus in Kitui.
On Wednesday, the county government signed a memorandum of understanding with Tiva Secondary School management to formalise the allocation. Under the agreement, 26 acres will be set aside for Utalii College, while six acres will be allocated to the Africa Inland Church for a medical facility.
The MoU was signed by county executive for education Joyce Masila and Tiva Secondary School board chairman Justus Manandu, in the presence of Governor Julius Malombe, deputy principal Mutinda Kithuka and AIC Bishop Rev Joseph Muendo.
Governor Malombe said the partnership represents an integrated approach to development, bringing together education, health and economic growth.
He highlighted his administration’s investment in local infrastructure, including a modern multipurpose hall and a borehole for Tiva Secondary School.
“By committing to drill and equip a borehole and by constructing a modern multipurpose hall at Tiva Secondary School, we are not just building physical structures; we are investing in dignity, opportunity and the empowerment of our youth,” Malombe said.
The county chief expressed optimism that the Utalii College campus would open up advanced training opportunities in hospitality and tourism, which have significant potential for job creation in Kitui. The proposed AIC hospital, he added, would substantially improve access to quality healthcare for thousands of families within and beyond the county.
Malombe emphasised that while his administration continues to strengthen basic education, it is equally attentive to the broader needs of the community.
“We are building a county where education, healthcare and economic opportunities grow side by side, creating a foundation for sustainable prosperity,” he said.
The signing was also hailed by school and church leaders as a demonstration of how institutions can pool resources, expertise and goodwill to achieve shared goals that no single actor could deliver alone.
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