Kiambu MPs put in spot over health sector claims

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A section of MPs in Kiambu County has been accused of allegedly fuelling propaganda targeting county government hospitals in a bid to incite the public against Governor Kimani Wamatangi ahead of the 2027 campaigns.

This is after Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, Thika’s Alice Ng’an’ga and Njoroge Kururia (Gatundu North) visited the ongoing construction of Githunguri Level Four Hospital on Wednesday.

After touring the project, being carried out by the military and the county government, the three criticised the government and its leadership, saying the county had failed to finish the project.

Wamuchomba, who has recently become a critic of the governor, said Wamatangi had refused to take over the facility after it was completed and equipped. She claimed this led to theft of equipment.

“The hospital was supposed to be handed over to Governor Kimani Wamatangi after it was completed, but he refused to take it. Because of this, there was no watchman or administrator, and everything inside was stolen,” the MP said.

She and Ng’ang’a also claimed the county had made no progress in the health sector, despite the construction of six level four hospitals and 26 level three hospitals over three years, renovation of most existing hospitals and the procurement of new equipment funded by the county.

Yesterday, the county, through the County Executive Committee Member for Health, Dr Elias Maina, rubbished the MPs’ claims as “outright lies”, saying the construction of the hospitals was still ongoing.

According to Dr Maina, the military completed the interior works and was to work on the kitchen and laundry section, while the county has been assigned a perimeter wall, an access road, which is already underway and a mortuary, after which the equipping and handover would be done.

“Besides the infrastructure works, we have signed for the needed list of medical equipment. Once that is done, the facility will be officially handed to us for operationalisation. Any other story being peddled is propaganda,” he said.

When the Standard team visited the facility yesterday morning, none of the allegations by Wamuchomba and Ng’ang’a about the project launched in May 2018 by former First Lady Mama Margaret Kenyatta was found to be factual.

A contractor was on site working on the perimeter wall, while in the main hospital building, workers were busy with the finishing works that included painting.

Githunguri Township MCA Joseph Muhinja accused Wamuchomba of politicising the facility by making false claims against the governor. “Recently, she claimed the hospital project had stalled, but now her narrative has changed. In reality, construction is ongoing to ensure completion and operationalisation before the next elections. The structure of the facility is complete, and the county is building a perimeter wall, awaiting equipping. Those MPs should tell people what they have done for them,” Muhinja said.

Dr Maina said there has been a renewed trend by some of the MPs who have been fighting Wamatangi with a target of the hospitals with propaganda, saying cases have been reported at the Kiambu and Tigoni hospitals.

Last Friday, the leaders sent a political aspirant-cum-blogger to incite patients and record them and immediately after, Ng’ang’a and a former nominated MCA held a press conference in Ruiru, attacking the governor.

“We have noted a new wave of propaganda by some of the elected MPs targeting our hospitals. We have seen someone pleading, telling lies, hoping they will provoke inciting against the governor and the county administration for political expedience, which is immoral,” Maina said.

The county government was to allocate Sh300 million for the Githunguri project, while the national government committed Sh500 million. But in 2021.