Keroche criticizes Kihika's 'poor' leadership despite Sh22 billion annual budget allocation

Tabitha Karanja, Senator Nkuru . [File, Standard]

Nakuru Senator Tabitha Keroche has criticized the leadership of Governor Susan Kihika, vis a vis the over Sh22 billion annual budget for the last three years.

 Speaking to Nakuru Catholic Women Association during their celebrations, Keroche insisted that poor health service, road conditions and struggling education sector were indications of public funds mismanagement.

 She put into context, what Sh1 billion can do for a Kenyan, “If you spend at least Sh20,000 every day, you will finish the Sh1 billion after 136 years.”

 Keroche said she had lobbied for money from the national government to help support the county in developments.

 “I have done my part as a senator to push for more allocations to the county government. I am also doing my oversight role in telling the residents that we have many problems in the county,” she said.

 She said that despite allocation, a spot-check showed that patients share beds at Nakuru Level V Hospital to the point that others sleep on cartons.

 She also pointed out that the hospitals not only lacked medicine, but the county was responsible for the closure of two hospitals including the War Memorial which had operated for over 100 years.

 “Education sector allocation improved and the county is now issuing bursaries up to Sh400 million. However, sanitation in schools is poor and pupils do not have toilets,” she said.

 Keroche added that potholes along tarmac roads within the county had increased when the county missed out on at least Sh437 million World Bank funding this year, meant to tackle the problem.

 The county missed on the allocation, after failing to meet the strict World Bank conditions for funding following the previous disbursement.

 “The county government is not working for the people because of corruption. Let us say the truth, even the governor herself admitted that she had not started some of her projects,” said Keroche.

 On free porridge to schools, the Senator said there was nothing unique, because the government only supplies the flour and the schools are supposed to figure out on their own how they will cook porridge.

 She called for women leaders to be role models and shift their leaders to that of motherly love and service to Kenyans.

 “Women leaders must remember that they represent the majority in government and must ensure their leadership supports the women and their children. If they do that then hospitals will have beds and medicine,” she said.