Governor Barasa Confirms Progress on Key Kakamega Projects

By Strilus Bellbut

Kakamega County Governor, H.E. Fernandez Barasa, chaired a consultative meeting attended by stakeholders from both the National and County governments to discuss development strategies for the county.

Governor Barasa, who has been in office for two years, emphasized that his goal is to ensure equitable development across all parts of Kakamega, leaving no stone unturned. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring that every region of the county receives its fair share of development without discrimination.

Speaking on Article 189 of the Constitution, which mandates cooperation between the National and County governments to enhance the performance of their functions, Governor Barasa explained that joint efforts are in place to address pending infrastructure projects. Among these is the completion of Kakamega’s 750-bed capacity referral hospital, along with several other key projects.

“Today, we held an inaugural meeting between officials from the County Government and the National Government, led by Permanent Secretary James Muhati, Chairman of the State Department for Economic Planning. The focus of our discussion was the completion of various projects, as we all know, we need the support of the National Government,” explained Governor Barasa.

He further added: “The completion of the referral hospital will create job opportunities for our educated brothers and sisters while also reducing the burden of traveling to Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret or Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu for treatment.”

At this point, Governor Barasa dismissed false allegations that the construction of Bukhungu Stadium had stalled. He clarified that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, the construction of the stadium is ongoing. 

“After discussions with the President, I want to assure everyone that Bukhungu International Stadium will be one of the venues for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027,” the governor concluded.

The meeting was also attended by the Permanent Secretary for Higher Education, Beatrice Inyangala, who urged the youth of Kakamega County to take advantage of the new funding model to secure places in colleges and universities.

“I have the challenging task of guiding the Gen-Z generation to build careers and become responsible parents. The current funding model is one of the best, as it accommodates learners from all backgrounds. Let’s not believe the misinformation circulating that university fees have increased,” said Inyangala.

She further explained that the new funding model was introduced to address the financial difficulties facing many universities, which were struggling with debt.

“When I assumed office, 23 universities were insolvent. For example, Egerton University was using about 60% of its funds on salaries. I want to clarify that university fees have not been increased. Each student pays based on their course of study, and we cannot compare the fees for an engineering course to those for medicine,” she added.

Lastly, she stated that students from needy backgrounds would pay only 5% of their fees, with the National Government covering the remainder. 

“The new funding model is designed to ensure that every learner can access education. For instance, a vulnerable student pursuing a BA in Garissa will only pay Ksh 2,900 per semester,” PS Inyangala noted, urging students to provide accurate information when applying for government scholarships.