President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua went local after the Head of state hosted the six Members of parliament from the latter’s Nyeri backyard.
Gachagua has since split from all the elected MPs in the county but is enjoying the support of the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs). It was unclear if the DP, who has been under fire mainly from leaders in the Mount Kenya region over his unity call, had been invited to the meeting or whether he was aware of it.
Mukurwe-ini, John Kaguchia, Wambugu Wainaina (Othaya), Geoffrey Wandeto (Tetu), Njoroge Wainaina (Kieni), Duncan Maina (Nyeri Town), Eric Wamumbi (Mathira), and Senator Wahome Wamatinga attended the meeting at State House.
County Woman Representative Rahab Mukami was absent. A source close to the lawmakers told People Daily that the meeting did not discuss the current state of political affairs in the region but focused on development matters especially the Othaya Level 6 hospital.
Level Six hospital
The project which was initiated by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has since stalled and the MPs wanted Ruto’s intervention to have construction resume.
“We booked the appointment with the President when he visited Nyeri last Sunday which was subsequently accepted. Our main agenda was the completion of the Level Six hospital, we kept off politics all along,” said one of the MPs who attended.
Independent budget
Hours after the meeting, Ruto announced that Othaya’s Mwai Kibaki Hospital, an annex of Kenyatta National Hospital, will be upgraded into a parastatal with its own board and independent budget.
The head of state asserted that the move is part of the government’s broader push for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), set to begin next month. Ruto in a statement emphasized that the elevation of the hospital would ensure it is fully equipped to meet the healthcare demands of the region.
“This elevation will ensure the health facility is fully equipped to enable it to play its rightful role in the provision of Universal Health Coverage,” Ruto stated.
The upgrade is a significant step for the people of Nyeri and the surrounding areas, as it will enhance access to healthcare services and create new opportunities for medical professionals.
The hospital will now be managed by a board, ensuring more autonomy and efficient service delivery.
And the source, talking about the meeting, further revealed that Ruto also kept off the current state of political affairs in the Mount Kenya region during the meeting which lasted almost an hour.
