President William Ruto has announced that he will travel to Italy next week to seek funding for the construction of a hospital in Nyamira town.

Speaking on Monday during a tour of Nyamira, the President said the trip is aimed at mobilising Sh1 billion for the project.

“I will go to Italy next week. I am going to look for Sh1 billion to build a hospital here in Nyamira town,” he said.

He asked residents to support the plan, posing, “Should we continue or stop?” as he rallied backing for the proposed development.

The planned facility is expected to improve access to healthcare services in the area once completed.

Ruto further sought to calm fears of residents of Nyamira county that the Naivasha-Kisumu Standard Guage railway (SGR) will bypass the region.

The President says contrary to criticisms by his opponents on the implementation of the project, Nyamira will host one of the stations as the SGR heads to Kisumu.

On the second day of Gusii region tour, he said the Kenya Railway will construct a Sh300 million SGR station at Ikonge for goods and passengers.

“I will build a Sh300 million railway station for both goods and passengers here at Ikonge; its now up to you to plan on how to utilise the station,” Ruto told residents of Ikonge, in North Mugirango on Monday morning.

Area residents and leaders had complained that the SGR map launched recently does not include any station in Nyamira county with the Kenya Railway showing stations in Narok, Mulot, Bomet, Sotik, Sondu, Ahero and Kisumu.