Waiguru Breaks Ground For Kirinyaga’s First KMTC, Marking A Major Leap In Healthcare Development
By MKT Correspondent
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has officially broken ground for the county’s first Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), launching a landmark project expected to significantly strengthen healthcare delivery and expand training opportunities for local youth.
The new KMTC will sit on a two-acre parcel of land provided by the County Government next to Kerugoya County Referral Hospital. Governor Waiguru hailed the initiative as a product of close collaboration between the county and national governments, describing it as a transformative investment that will empower young people, build a skilled health workforce, and advance her vision of turning Kerugoya into a Wellness City and Kirinyaga into a regional health hub.
Construction begins immediately, with a modern two-storey academic block scheduled for completion within a year. The facility will host administrative offices, a library, four lecture halls, and well-equipped laboratories; including medical, ICT, and skills labs—designed to accommodate at least 200 students in the first phase.
Waiguru highlighted that Kerugoya Level Five Hospital already trains more than 150 students from over 25 medical institutions nationwide. Combined with enhanced Level Four hospitals in Kianyaga, Kimbimbi, and Sagana, the county is increasingly positioned as a center of excellence for hands-on medical education. Once operational, the KMTC will produce a consistent stream of nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technologists, and other professionals to serve both county and national health facilities.
She emphasized that integrating training within active service points would raise clinical standards, promote evidence-based practice, and enhance professional development across the county.
Beyond health benefits, the project is expected to spur economic growth through construction employment and increased demand for housing, transport, business services, and hospitality.
Leaders at the ceremony credited Governor Waiguru’s leadership for turning a long-held dream into reality.
Kirinyaga Central MP Gachoki Gitari praised her decisive action, noting that the institution represents a long-term investment in the county’s future health workforce.
He urged the county to consider providing more land for student hostels.
County Assembly Speaker Murimi Mutemi described the milestone as historic, saying the county had waited since independence for its own KMTC. He commended Waiguru’s partnerships with national leaders and suggested she deserves higher national leadership, even urging speedy implementation of the NADCO report.
Residents also celebrated improved healthcare services under her administration. Community members cited the modern maternity wing at Kerugoya Level Five Hospital, upgraded town infrastructure, and strong support for Community Health Promoters as evidence of the county’s progress.
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