Trans
Nzoia governor Patrick Khaemba has come out fighting over his decision to
purchase the controversial Sh185 million proposed teaching and referral
hospital in the county daring legislators to go ahead with their demands for an
independent audit “as everything was done above board”.
The
governor said that he was willing to meet any of the parliamentary watchdog
committees to explain a purchase that he said would help the county tap
millions of infrastructure programmes rolled up by the national government to
counties with requisite facilities.
Trans
Nzoia county rep Janet Nangabo and Kiminini counterpart Chris Wamalwa have
opposed the purchase of the facility that is built on a 4.5 acre piece of land.
They
argue that the cash was enough to refurbish the 60-year-old Kitale District
Hospital and equip it.
The
two leaders say that they were not involved in the purchase, apparently on the
Kitale Kari land.
But
while seeking to put the record straight, the governor who was in the company
of his deputy Stanley Tarus, the chief officer in charge of health Ken Simiyu
and the county secretary Wafula Wakwofula said that the aging district hospital
did not have enough space left to factor emerging health technology.
He
also said that the county government sought expert advice from the government
valuer, county architect and civil engineer before the purchase.
“In
addition the county government sought further sought advice from independent
consulting team of experts including architects, surveyors, structural
engineers, service engineers and medical consultants,” he said while displaying
to the press the evaluation reports giving the purchase a clean bill of health.
“Both
teams found the structural integrity of the facility to be sound and intact.
The design is excellent, with wide passages, ramps, doors and spaces provided
for all the critical hospital functions like casualty, theatres, laboratory,
pharmacy, diagnostic departments and maternity wards,” he said.
Khaemba
was at pains to explain that the deal was the best the county could undertake
under the circumstances as it was 65pc complete and would therefore take less
time to complete adding that estimates from valuers would give the facility at
Sh324 million at the current state.
He
accused leaders opposed to the purchase of trembling under
the weight of change saying that they had been invited at the planning stages
but declined.
While
raising the red flag about the project dubbed “imprudent and extravagant”,
Nangabo and Wamalwa threatened to take the matter to the parliamentary accounts
committee and its sister watchdog the parliamentary investment committee to
unearth the rot they said was manifest “and glaring for all to see”.
They
claimed that the vendor of the facility, a certain Vipul Dhodhia, had purchased
the hospital at a paltry Sh23 million through auction, as it was tinkering
towards collapse and decay. They added that the hospital had been condemned as
unsuitable for human habitation.
But
in his statement, the governor wondered how a government which had approved the
facility as sound could on the other had condemn it.
“Who
has the responsibility to condemn structures in Kenya is not the ministry of
Public Works and Housing? Who has produced this report declaring it fit, is it
not the government? Come on, give us a break!” he retorted.
The
governor revealed that the national government was in the process of boosting
the health facilities of various counties by equipping existing facilities and
added that if Trans Nzoia government did not put its house in order, they would
be overlooked during the rare windfall.
“If
for example the government decides to equip three theatres, or install a
scanning facility, how would we benefit when we do not have the requisite
infrastructure? Why are some counties overtaking others while we are busy
lamenting?” he posed.
The
facility which the county has already paid an initial deposit of Sh60 million
has room for expansion with a possibility of the availability of a 30-acre
adjacent land.
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