Kericho, Kenya – The long-running debate over the location of a major regional referral hospital in the South Rift is nearing conclusion, with Londiani in Kipkelion East Constituency now firmly positioned as the preferred site for the multibillion-shilling facility.
The vision of a world-class teaching and referral hospital, expected to transform healthcare across Kericho, Bomet and Narok counties, is steadily shifting from political promise to tangible progress.
The turning point came after a high-level delegation from the African Development Bank (AfDB) toured Kericho County and conducted a detailed assessment of the proposed 100-acre site in Londiani, Kipkelion East.
County Finance CEC Jackson Rop, who hosted the AfDB team, confirmed that the feasibility study had been completed and that the project is ready to advance.
“We are glad the long-awaited Londiani Referral Hospital is taking shape,” he said. “The 100-acre land is owned by the county government, its title deed is ready, and the area is clear and flat. No evictions will be required.”
The delegation also held discussions with local stakeholders, including advocate Ben Siele and a council of elders led by Willy Ngetich, who expressed optimism that groundbreaking could begin soon.
Residents renew push for equity
In Kipkelion, an area many locals describe as historically overlooked in public investment, the call to situate the South Rift Level 6 hospital in Londiani has gained unprecedented unity and urgency.
Elders from both Kipkelion East and Kipkelion West have convened multiple joint forums to advocate for the project, arguing that locating the hospital near Kericho town would place it too close to the existing Kericho County Referral Hospital.
“Development should be spread evenly,” said elder James Mutai. “Kipkelion East and West have been marginalised for many years in the sharing of public resources. We need this referral hospital.”
Their sentiments reflect a broader regional demand for fair allocation of national development projects.
Major govt funding
The proposed Level 6 regional referral hospital is one of only two such national projects approved by the Cabinet.
The government has already allocated KSh 500 million, while China is expected to provide an additional KSh 1.8 billion under a bilateral agreement reached during President William Ruto’s State Visit to Beijing in April.
The project aligns with the President’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA)and the national pursuit of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Two flagship health facilities are earmarked for development under this arrangement:
- The South Rift Level 6 Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kericho County, envisioned as a specialised trauma centre to address increasing road accident cases, and
- A Level 6 Centre of Excellence in Bungoma County, focused on comprehensive sickle cell disease management and a regional blood transfusion service.
Support from local leaders
Local political leadership has consolidated around the Londiani site following months of consultations.
Governor Erick Mutai, Deputy Governor Fred Kirui, County Assembly Speaker Patrick Mutai, and several MCAs led by Vincent Korir have all publicly supported the proposal.
Kipkelion East MP Joseph Cherorot has been particularly instrumental. Earlier this year, he hosted a delegation from the Ministry of Health, the Chinese Embassy and the China Sixth Institute of Project Planning and Research (SIPPR), who also inspected Londiani Sub-County Hospital.
The facility is earmarked for an upgrade to Level 5 status to complement the planned regional referral hospital.
If realised, the South Rift Level 6 Teaching and Referral Hospital will mark a major leap in regional healthcare delivery.
Residents of Kericho, Bomet, Narok and neighbouring counties, many of whom currently travel to Eldoret or Nairobi for specialised treatment, will gain access to advanced services closer to home.
The new facility is expected to reduce congestion in existing hospitals and serve as a training hub for medical professionals from across the region.
For now, as technical teams finalise designs and financing frameworks, the people of Londiani watch with renewed hope, anticipating a long-awaited project that promises to reshape healthcare and development across the South Rift.
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