Government Reserves 17 Acres for Kisii County After President Ruto’s Stern Warning
The National Land Commission (NLC) has officially set aside 17 acres of public land in Kisii County to help expand the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH). This move follows President William Ruto’s earlier directive urging that the project be completed without further delays.
In a gazette notice, NLC Chairperson Gershom Otachi confirmed that the commission had issued a reservation order for the land identified as Kisii Municipality Block 3/678.
This means the Kisii County Government will take charge of the land as the trustee, managing it on behalf of the hospital.
According to Otachi, the reserved land is strictly meant for the expansion of the hospital and related medical purposes. He emphasized that the county government cannot sell, lease, or transfer the land to anyone else without official approval from the National Land Commission.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 15, 16, 17, and 18 of the Land Act, 2012, and section 105 (2) of the Land Registration Act, 2012, the National Land Commission hereby issues this reservation order to reserve and vest the care, control, and management of the land parcel no. Kisii Municipality Block 3/678,” read the notice.
The document further explained that the land measures approximately 6.765 hectares and is located in Kisii County, as described in FR NO. 726/194.
The county government, as the management body, will oversee the land for the benefit of the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.
As part of the new conditions, the Kisii County Government has 180 days to prepare a comprehensive land use and management plan.
This plan must align with Kenya’s physical planning laws, support local community activities responsibly, and uphold constitutional values such as environmental protection and social inclusion.
The county will also be required to ensure that at least 10 per cent of the land is covered with trees and vegetation to promote environmental sustainability.
Additionally, it must protect sensitive natural resources within the area, including water bodies, forests, and wildlife habitats.
Before any major construction begins, the hospital management must carry out an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) as required under the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) of 1999.
This assessment will help identify and address any potential environmental or social risks associated with the expansion project.
This development comes nearly a year after President Ruto expressed his frustration over delays in the completion of the hospital’s cancer centre.
During his visit, he criticized the contractor for slow progress and poor performance, warning that the government would not tolerate further excuses.
“You will get a final warning. If you don’t pull up your socks, I am sorry, we will have to terminate this contract and bring in another contractor so that we can get this cancer centre running,” the president warned firmly.
He added that the government had already paid the full amount for the project and that there were no outstanding financial issues preventing its completion. “I will not allow this kind of thing to continue because you have been paid all the money required.
There are no pending certificates, and there is no reason whatsoever for this project not to be complete,” he said.
The new land allocation is therefore seen as a major step towards boosting healthcare infrastructure in Kisii County and ensuring that President Ruto’s vision for improved medical services becomes a reality.
It also signals the government’s renewed commitment to ensuring that stalled public projects are completed efficiently and on time.
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