By Faith Anene, Kakamega
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has said that the stalled Sh7billion Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital will be completed in a year’s time with the help of the national government.
Speaking at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmust), Barasa said that both the county and the national government have agreed to have the project ready in the next 12 months.
“This is going to be the largest referral hospital in the country with a 750 bed capacity. It will be bigger than even Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH),” said Barasa
Already Phase one is complete and at least Sh2.5billion has been spent on the project.
The new referral hospital is one of the major flagship project of Governor Wycliffe Oparanya that has stalled due to delayed disbursement of funds.
When complete, the Level (VI), the hospital will serve over five million residents from neighbouring counties of Kisumu, Bungoma, Busia, Nandi, Siaya, Vihiga and Uasin Gishu as well as those from Uganda.
At the same time, Barasa said that the county government of Kakamega is the biggest employer of Masinde Muliro university graduates.” I have over ten thousand members of staff and 20 per cent are graduates from Masinde Muliro,” said Barasa.
He urged the Ministry of Education to honor the appeals that have been offered by the students who have been disadvantaged by the university funding model.
Barasa said that the county has a scholarship program that has supported over 200 students with school fees from first year to fourth year.
“Next year we are going to support over 100 students with almost Sh40 million so that they can have an opportunity of pursuing their education without the challenge of school fees,” said Barasa.
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