Govt Allocates 17 Acres for County After Ruto's Warning

The National Land Commission (NLC) has officially set aside 17 acres of land in Kisii County for the expansion of the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH). 

The decision follows President William Ruto’s earlier directive to speed up the project after expressing dissatisfaction with the slow progress of the hospital’s cancer centre.

In a gazette notice, NLC Chairperson Gershom Otachi confirmed that the land parcel, known as Kisii Municipality Block 3/678, will now be under the care and management of the Kisii County Government as a trustee for KTRH. 

Otachi explained that the land is to be used only for hospital expansion and related medical projects. 

The county government will not be allowed to transfer the land without approval from the NLC.

“The land measures approximately 6.765 hectares and will be managed by the Kisii County Government as a trustee for the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital,” the notice stated.

The county government has been given 180 days to create a land use and management plan that follows national physical planning rules. 

The plan must also ensure that at least 10 percent of the land has trees and vegetation. Additionally, it should protect natural resources such as water bodies and forests.

Before starting any major construction, the county will be required to conduct an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment in line with Kenya’s environmental laws.

The expansion aims to improve healthcare services in the Gusii region and reduce the number of patients traveling long distances to Nairobi or Eldoret for specialized treatment. 

The hospital’s cancer centre has been one of the key projects that faced delays, prompting President Ruto to issue a warning to the contractor earlier this year.

“You will get a final warning. If you don’t pull up your socks, we will have to terminate this contract and get another contractor so that this cancer centre can start running,” President Ruto said during his visit to the hospital.

The new land allocation is expected to open the way for more facilities, including modern wards, diagnostic centres, and expanded patient care units. 

Residents of Kisii County have welcomed the move, saying it will help decongest the hospital and improve access to quality health services.