A Member of the County Assembly (MCA), who requested anonymity, revealed to The Weekly Vision that the County Government had already decided to relocate the Bungoma County Referral Hospital to Sichei Village, Kabuchai Constituency, before any public participation took place. “We were not involved in the decision-making process. The so-called public participation was merely for formality; they only wanted us to rubber-stamp their decision,” the MCA said
By Tony Wafula
The Western Kenya Human Rights Defenders Network (WKHRDN) has welcomed the elevation of the Bungoma County Referral Hospital from a Level 5 to a Level 6 facility, as approved by the Cabinet, but strongly opposed what it terms a malicious, arbitrary, and misguided plan to relocate the project to a rural site in Sichei Village, Kabuchai Constituency.
The planned construction of a state-of-the-art Level 6 hospital in Bungoma County, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), has triggered sharp divisions among county leaders and rights groups.
Speaking to journalists in Bungoma on Friday, Job Bwonya, Chief Executive Officer of WKHRDN, criticised the move, arguing that no public participation was conducted prior to the relocation. He termed the decision personal and self-serving, in contravention of Section 3(2)(a) and (b) of the Conflict of Interest Act, 2025.
Bwonya added that the proposed site in Sichei lacks essential facilities, including banks, recreational centres, and communication infrastructure, and does not have a sufficient catchment population, as the area is entirely rural. “There is no NEMA assessment report to ascertain the viability or suitability of the site. The area is swampy and serves as the source of the Sichei and Bokoli rivers,” Bwonya stated.
He further noted the absence of a social and environmental impact assessment, highlighting concerns about the site’s adaptability, infrastructure, and communication challenges. “The proposed site is 32 kilometres from the current Bungoma Level 5 Hospital and 28 kilometres from Kibabii University. This move will kill the vision of establishing a medical school at Kibabii University,” he said.
Bwonya also argued that there was no advertisement or public notice seeking expressions of interest for the acquisition of land near Bungoma Municipality, where adequate public land already exists. “There are 32 acres of public land located just three and a half kilometres from the current Level 5 hospital. Only four acres are developed, leaving 28 acres idle. This land should be prioritised for the hospital,” he said.
He emphasised that a Level 6 hospital is an urgent, high-impact public project that should take precedence over housing plans. “We strongly believe Governor Kenneth Lusaka and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula are using the myth of a ‘51-acre requirement’, which is not stated anywhere in the Health Act or any law, as a scapegoat to advance their own selfish interests by selling their land at Sichei to the government,” he alleged.
Bwonya maintained that the existing Bungoma County Referral Hospital (BCRH), with its infrastructure, communication links, and established amenities, remains the most suitable site to host and sustain a Level 6 hospital. “The people of this region have suffered greatly due to arbitrary and self-centred decisions by the two leaders,” he said.
Initially earmarked for Kanduyi Constituency, the Sh7.5 billion facility was later controversially relocated to Sichei, sparking political wrangles, accusations of bias, and concerns over uneven development within the county.
Bumula MP Jack Wamboka said that following Cabinet approval, it was agreed that the funds would be used to upgrade and expand the existing Bungoma County Referral Hospital to Level 6 status. “The Cabinet approved the elevation of the current hospital, but Wetang’ula and Lusaka decided to relocate it to Sichei for their own reasons,” Wamboka claimed.
He argued that BCRH has sufficient land to accommodate the Level 6 facility, questioning the rationale behind moving it to a rural constituency. “I don’t understand why the two leaders decided to relocate the facility to Kabuchai. The move is unacceptable,” he said.
Wamboka suggested that the hospital could instead have been built on the idle airstrip land or part of Bungoma National Polytechnic (formerly Sang’alo Institute of Science and Technology) to retain it within Kanduyi Constituency.
He also lamented the lack of equitable development across constituencies. “Bumula has been neglected for years. We have no major government appointments or meaningful projects, yet we are told Wetang’ula is our leader,” he said.
Wamboka accused Wetang’ula and Lusaka of presiding over the sale of Webuye Pan Paper and Nzoia Sugar Company to private investors who failed to revive them.
“When Nzoia was sold to Rai Group, I opposed it, but they went ahead. Now all the workers have been sent home,” he said. He called on both Wetang’ula and Lusaka to publicly explain why the Level 6 hospital was relocated to Kabuchai.
A Member of the County Assembly (MCA), who requested anonymity, told The Weekly Vision that the County Government had already made the relocation decision before conducting any public participation. “We were not involved in the decision-making process. The so-called public participation was just for formality; they only wanted us to rubber-stamp their decision,” the MCA said.
Kanduyi MP John Makali also distanced himself from the relocation, saying he was not consulted, although he agreed there was a need to decongest the current county referral hospital.
In response, Governor Kenneth Lusaka defended the decision, urging leaders to stop politicising the hospital’s location.
He said the AfDB-funded project had already passed a pre-feasibility study, identifying Sichei as the most suitable site. “This hospital will serve all residents of Bungoma, not just one constituency. The current Level 5 hospital will remain operational. I urge leaders to put aside personal interests and support development that benefits everyone,” Lusaka said.
The governor added that every constituency had benefited from at least one major project under his administration.
