The proposed J.M. Memorial Hospital Complex in Nyandarua county, April 3, 2025. /PCS
President William Ruto has pledged to oversee completion of an upgrade of J.M Kariuki hospital which stalled at 48 per cent completion due to lack of funds.
Governor Moses Kiarie had earlier pleaded with the national government to help complete the level six facility that is set to transform healthcare in the county.
The governor noted that the new facility, which is expected to cost Sh1.5 billion to complete, had already gobbled up about Sh1 billion before the county ran out of funds.
He said structural works were almost complete but it will require an additional Sh500 million.
The President, who was addressing residents at Ol Kalou on the thrid day of his Mt Kenya tour said Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru would pitch camp in the county from next week to ensure the project takes off again.
He said the government will ensure the facility is completed before the end of the year so that it can offer services to locals.
“The governor and other local leaders told me last week that it requires another Sh800,000 so it can become operational. I have visited the facility and we’ll take up its construction so that the county can channel funds to other programmes,” he said.
The hospital is a 500-bed capacity facility comprising a 144-bed mother and child unit, an additional Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with 12 fully equipped beds, a 10-bed High Dependency Unit (HDU), three operating theatres and a 48-bed casualty ward.
Further, the President committed to allocate Sh958 million to help complete stalled roads in the county.
He instructed Roads Principal Secretary Joseph Mbugua to ensure construction works resume on all stalled projects, including the Captain-Wanjohi-Ndunyu Njeru, Injinia-Gachara-Ndirithi and Olkalou-Siranga roads.
Ruto also launched a Sh1.6 billion last mile connectivity programme that will provide electricity to 14,000 households by November this year.
“Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi is here. I have asked him to look for an extra Sh400 million to raise these connections to 20,000 households," he said, noting that the county has lagged behind in connectivity to the national grid.
The President also announced that he had approved the establishment of Nyandarua University by September this year following consultation with local leaders and that it will be managed by the University of Nairobi.
The university has since been gazetted.
The Head of State also pledged to complete the upgrade of Ol Kalou stadium that was started by former governor Daniel Waithaka in 2015 and was projected to cost Sh350 million.
The stadium will have four modern holding and changing rooms that will have hot showers, medical clinics and different entries for each of the participating teams, and a 400-seat VIP dais.
The President asked Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi to ensure the project is completed within one year.
Further, he promised to complete eight new markets that are in various stages of completion to provide a modern and hygienic environment for local farmers to sell their produce.
The President also launched the Sh390 million Injinia market and instructed the contractor to employ locals.
