KITUI, Kenya — President William Ruto has announced a fresh round of national–county collaborations aimed at strengthening universal healthcare and expanding infrastructure development across Kitui County.
Speaking at State Lodge Kitui after a meeting with Governor Julius Malombe and senior county health officials, Ruto said the government is scaling up primary healthcare and social health insurance through the Social Health Authority to ensure Kenyans access affordable and reliable medical services.
“We are modernising public health facilities by providing, maintaining, and upgrading medical equipment under the fee-for-service model through the National Equipment Service Programme, in Kitui and across the country,” the President said.
Under the programme, hospitals are being equipped with modern diagnostic and treatment technologies, including MRI machines, CT scanners, X-ray units and ultrasound equipment.
Ruto added that these investments are intended to enhance the quality of care at county hospitals and reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for basic imaging and specialised services.
The President also announced that the national government will allocate Sh200 million for the construction of a new Level 4 hospital in Mutito.
We are collaborating with county governments in improving and strengthening the provision of universal healthcare under the Social Health Authority. We are ensuring that primary healthcare and social health insurance comprehensively serves the people of Kenya.Met Kitui
The facility, to be named the Nzamba Kitonga Memorial Hospital in honour of the late chair of the Committee of Experts, will serve as a major referral centre for the larger Mwingi region.
Ruto’s engagement in Kitui came during a day-long development tour of the county, where he issued 30,000 title deeds to residents of Mwingi West and Kitui South.
He said a total of 42,000 title deeds have been prepared for issuance in the coming months as part of ongoing efforts to secure land rights for local communities.
On infrastructure, the President officially launched the tarmacking of the 13-kilometre Kamuwongo–Kandwia road, a key section of the broader Mwingi–Kamuwongo–Ciangera network. The upgraded corridor will link the Thika–Garissa highway at Mwingi town with the Ena–Chiakariga road, improving regional connectivity and easing the movement of agricultural produce from the semi-arid county.
Ruto later handed over the newly completed Kamuwongo Fresh Produce Market to the county government.
The modern facility, which can host more than 200 traders, includes an ICT hub, cold storage rooms, cafeteria, shower and baby-nursing spaces. Officials say the market is expected to boost small-scale trade, expand youth employment and strengthen agricultural value chains.
“This new market will host more than 200 traders and help unlock Kamuwongo’s business potential, expanding employment opportunities for the youth and powering the area’s economic growth,” Ruto said at the handover ceremony.
He noted that Kamuwongo Market is one of 11 such projects under construction in Kitui as part of the first phase of a national markets improvement programme.
The President also disclosed that the government has set aside Sh15 billion for the construction of 6,000 affordable housing units in the county. An additional Sh1.6 billion will support new student hostels for universities, technical institutes and KMTC campuses in the region.
To expand household connectivity, Ruto said Sh2.3 billion has been earmarked to connect 20,000 homes to the national electricity grid in the 2026/27 financial year.
The announcements reflect a broader national push to integrate healthcare reforms with economic and infrastructural investments, which the government says will accelerate development in marginalised regions while creating long-term employment and service-delivery gains.
