GARISSA, Kenya — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale handed over a 54-seater school bus to Garissa High School, fulfilling a pledge made by President William Ruto during his February 2025 development tour of North Eastern Kenya, as the CS continued his health sector tour across Garissa County.
Speaking during the ceremony, Duale said the new bus would strengthen the school’s transport capacity, improve access, and enhance the overall learning experience for students.
“This is a promise made by the President and a promise delivered,” Duale said, noting that improved school infrastructure was central to inclusive development and equal opportunity for learners in historically marginalized regions.
Duale, who is an alumnus of Garissa High School, said the handover was also personal, reaffirming his commitment to giving back to the community that shaped him.
He urged students to embrace discipline, hard work, and ambition, reminding them that leadership at the highest levels of national service was within reach.
“I am living proof that where you start does not limit how far you can go,” he told students, encouraging them to remain focused on education as a pathway to national service and leadership.
Beyond education, Duale used the occasion to outline key health policy priorities, including plans to onboard national security personnel onto the Social Health Authority (SHA).
He said the move would ensure comprehensive health cover for officers of the National Police Service and the Kenya Prisons Service, as well as their dependents.
The proposed coverage, Duale explained, would allow security officers to access services across public, faith-based, and private health facilities, mirroring the benefits currently enjoyed by teachers under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
“Our security officers put their lives on the line every day. Ensuring they and their families have reliable health cover is not a privilege, it is a necessity,” Duale said, adding that the reforms were aligned with the government’s broader universal health coverage agenda.
The CS also waded into politics, reaffirming what he described as North Eastern Kenya’s strong support for President Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid.
He termed the support a vote of confidence in the President’s leadership and commitment to inclusive national development.
“North Eastern Kenya stands firmly with President William Ruto because of his vision for unity, equity, and development for all regions,” Duale said.
The event was attended by local leaders and education stakeholders, including Waberi Ward MCA Abubakar Haji, Garissa High School Chief Principal Mahmoud Dubat, Board of Management Chair Mohammed Abdi, and Alumni Association Chair Elias Jamma Noor.
Parents, students, and community leaders also turned up for the ceremony.
