Row over location of Bomet referral hospital erupts

Former Chepalungu MP Gedion Kosgei at a past event. [Courtesy, Meta]

A fresh row has erupted over the proposed location of the Sh1.25 billion Bomet Teaching and Referral Hospital.                                                  

Former Chepalungu MP Gedion Kosgei, together with residents of Chebunyo and Siongiroi wards, are now divided on where the facility should be built.     

Koskei said Chebunyo residents have set aside land for the construction of the hospital after President William Ruto endorsed the project during his development tour of the constituency.

"The President himself and the Cabinet have proposed Chebunyo, and the people said that the referral hospital should be built in the area," Koskei said.

According to him, the residents of Chebunyo and the leadership of the county government are urging the national government not to interfere with the initial plan.

"When the Head of State settled on Chebunyo, nobody should dictate about it; the National government fully funds the project. Those planning to hijack the project will fail miserably. We only wait for the Advertisement of the tender for the construction of the Referral Hospital," noted Koskei.

However, residents of Siongiroi County are opposed to the construction of the referral hospital in Chebunyo, arguing that it is at the furthest end of Bomet County.

According to them, there needs to be a new public participation exercise, insisting that they were not part of the initial process that saw Chebunyo selected as the preferred host.

The development came after the national government set aside Sh1.25 billion for the referral hospital.

The proposed facility will be built under the Mother and Child Lifeline Initiative, following a proposal submitted by Governor Hillary Barchok on 4th March 2026, on behalf of Bomet County, for a fully equipped Teaching and Referral Hospital. 

The hospital will have Oncology, ICU, High Dependency Unit, Renal, Accident & Emergency, Outpatient, Speciality Clinics, Casualty, Delivery Unit, Maternity Unit, Newborn Unit, Orthopaedic Unit, Surgical theatre, Maternity theatre, Surgical and General Wards, among others.

The proposed Teaching and Referral Hospital will work in partnership with sub-county hospitals, Longisa County Referral Hospital, and Dr Joyce Laboso Memorial Mother and Child Hospital, and will transform healthcare service delivery in the County and the entire South Rift region.

The Cabinet approved the establishment of the Sh4.5 billion Mother and Child Lifeline initiative, a partnership with Amsons Group to build level four and five Mother and Child hospitals at Magadi Road (Nairobi), Galmagalla in Fafi constituency (Garissa County), Siakago (Embu County), Kisumu County Referral Hospital, Kabichbich Referral Hospital (West Pokot County), Huruma (Uasin Gishu), Bahati (Nakuru), Samburu (Kwale) and Chebunyo (Bomet County).