President William Ruto has
outlined plans to strengthen universal healthcare in collaboration with county
governments.
He highlighted efforts to expand
primary healthcare services and social health insurance under the Social
Health Authority.
Speaking after meeting Kitui
Governor Julius Malombe and county health officials at State Lodge Kitui,
Ruto said the discussions focused on ways to improve healthcare delivery and
ensure that services are accessible to all Kenyans.
“We are modernising public health
facilities by providing, maintaining, and upgrading medical equipment under the
fee-for-service model, through the National Equipment Service Programme, in
Kitui and across the country,” he said.
The programme provides, maintains and
upgrades medical equipment in hospitals across the country, including Kitui.
The President noted that hospitals
are being equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies such as MRI
machines, CT scanners, X-ray and ultrasound machines, among others.
President Ruto also announced that
the national government will contribute Sh200 million to construct a
Level 4 hospital at Mutito, which will be named Nzamba Kitonga Memorial
Hospital, in honour of the late chairman of the Committee of Experts.
The initiatives aim to improve the
quality of healthcare, expand access to essential services and enhance the
capacity of county hospitals to provide modern medical care.
The meeting came after Ruto’s tour in Kitui County on Thursday.
During the tour, Ruto issued 30,000 title deeds to residents of Mwingi West and Kitui South. He said the government has prepared more than 42,000 title deeds to be issued across the county in the coming months.
In a push to improve infrastructure, he officially launched the tarmacking of the 13km Kamuwongo-Kandwia road.
The project forms part of the broader Mwingi-Kamuwongo-Ciangera network, linking the Thika-Garissa road at Mwingi town with the Ena-Chiakariga road.
The upgraded road is expected to enhance regional connectivity, providing local farmers with easier access to markets and boosting the semi-arid region’s economic potential.
The President further inspected and handed over the newly constructed Kamuwongo fresh produce market to the Kitui County Government.
The market, constructed to accommodate over 200 traders, is designed to create employment opportunities and stimulate local commerce.
It includes an ICT hub, cafeteria, cold rooms, shower rooms and baby nursing rooms and will be managed jointly by the County Government of Kitui and traders.
“This new market will host more than 200 traders and help unlock Kamuwongo’s business potential, expanding employment opportunities for the youth and powering the area’s economic growth,” Ruto said.
The President said Kamuwongo Market is among 11 similar facilities under construction in the county under the first phase of a nationwide market improvement programme.
He announced a Sh15 billion allocation for 6,000 affordable housing units in Kitui, including Sh1.6 billion for new student hostels for universities, technical colleges and KMTC campuses.
Ruto added that Sh2.3 billion has been earmarked to connect 20,000 homes to electricity in the 2026/27 financial year.
