Kanduyi MP John Makali….Photo/IP
By ALEX WEKESA
BUNGOMA, Kenya
A political row has broken out in Bungoma County over the location of a planned Level 6 hospital, with leaders split between Bungoma town and Kabuchai Constituency.
Kanduyi MP Wakili John Makali on Saturday opposed plans to move the project to Sichei village in Kabuchai, saying Cabinet had earlier agreed to upgrade the Bungoma County Referral Hospital in Bungoma town.
“The referral hospital is centrally located and already serves as a critical facility for the county. Upgrading it would be the most logical and beneficial move,” Makali said at a Grade 9 prayer day in Bungoma.
He also criticized the lack of public participation in the decision, calling it unconstitutional.
But Governor Kenneth Lusaka has backed Sichei, saying the referral hospital will remain a Level 5 facility while a new Level 6 hospital is built on a larger parcel of land.
Trade Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana, speaking on behalf of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, confirmed the national government will finance the new hospital at a cost of 7.5 billion shillings.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for February 2026, with construction expected to take two years.
Dr Mukhwana said Sichei was chosen because Bungoma town lacks adequate space for the large-scale project.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa urged leaders to stop politicizing the project, warning that divisions could delay or derail it.
“Endless wrangles could jeopardize the project altogether.
Let’s focus on delivering better healthcare to our people,” Barasa said.
The clash underscores the growing tension between county and national leaders over major projects in Bungoma, with residents now waiting to see where the region’s first Level 6 hospital will finally be built.
