President William Ruto has directed the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to oversee the construction of more than 75 health facilities across the country in a bid to accelerate their completion and improve healthcare access.
The announcement came during the commissioning of Sogoo Level 4 Hospital in Narok County, where Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru revealed that the facility will be completed within 11 months under KDF supervision. He stressed that unskilled labor will be sourced locally to benefit the community.
“The army will supervise the contractor. All the labour will be done by the youths in Sogoo, and we will have officers giving daily progress reports,” Mariru said. He clarified that the KDF is partnering with existing government agencies, not replacing them.
Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu welcomed the move, saying Sogoo residents have long been forced to travel to neighboring Bomet County for treatment. He added that Sogoo is one of four Level 4 hospitals in the county and thanked President Ruto for personally committing to see the project through.
In addition to Narok, KDF will oversee health projects in Siaya, Kapsabet, Dagoreti, Meru, Ol Kalou, and Githunguri, among other areas.
The initiative is part of a broader government strategy to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and expand universal health coverage nationwide.
Governor Ntutu also disclosed that Cheluget farm settlers will soon receive title deeds for 5,600 acres of land, while Maasai Mau forest evictees will be resettled. He pledged to rehabilitate over 100 kilometers of roads to improve access, particularly during the rainy season.
Source: Citizen Digital
By Michelle Ndaga
