Gov’t releases Ksh.4.5B to build 10 Level 4, Level 5 Mother and Child hospitals

The Cabinet has approved a Ksh.4.5 billion initiative to construct 10 Level 4 and Level 5 Mother and Child hospitals across the country as part of efforts to strengthen maternal and neonatal healthcare.

The approval was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday.

The project, dubbed the Mother-and-Child Lifeline Initiative, will be implemented in partnership with Amsons Group and will see the facilities built in 10 different counties.

They include Magadi Road in Nairobi, Galmagalla in Fafi (Garissa), Siakago (Embu), Kisumu County Referral Hospital, Kabichbich (West Pokot), Huruma (Uasin Gishu), Tudor (Mombasa), Bahati (Nakuru), Samburu (Kwale) and Chebunyo (Bomet).

“Together, the initiatives will expand specialised healthcare, strengthen the health workforce and improve outcomes for mothers and newborns,” read the

Cabinet said the initiative, alongside the Ksh.7.8 billion second phase of the Kenya-Austria Mother and Child – Our Future Project, will modernise maternal and neonatal care at Kenyatta National Hospital.

The meeting also endorsed the Kenya-United States Health Cooperation Framework aimed at sustaining collaboration in combating HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and emerging infectious diseases while supporting Kenya's transition to a more self-reliant health system.

The framework will support disease surveillance, laboratories, digital health systems, medical supplies and the gradual integration of more than 13,000 United States-supported frontline health workers into Kenya's public health workforce.

At the same time, the Cabinet authorised an additional Ksh.16.6 billion to complete the flagship Mwache Multipurpose Dam Project in Kwale County.

Once complete, the project is expected to supply 186,000 cubic metres of water daily to Mombasa and Kwale counties, easing chronic water shortages, supporting households and industries, expanding irrigation, strengthening climate resilience and providing reliable water to millions of residents.

Cabinet also approved additional financing for the 67-kilometre Modogashe-Samatar and 76-kilometre Rhamu-Mandera road sections under the 750-kilometre Isiolo-Mandera corridor to improve connectivity, trade and access to essential services across northern Kenya.

The meeting further approved the Ksh.26 billion Judicial Performance Improvement Project Phase II in partnership with the World Bank to finance the construction of a new Supreme Court complex, a dedicated Court of Appeal, a consolidated Tribunals and Judiciary Administration complex and a modern Kenya Judiciary Academy.

On industrialisation, Cabinet endorsed the Ksh.5.8 billion Leather Value Chain Development Support Project aimed at reviving leather manufacturing, expanding value addition, creating up to 120,000 jobs and unlocking the sector's estimated Ksh.120 billion potential.

In a bid to curb wastage of public funds, the Cabinet approved sweeping reforms to eliminate payroll fraud across government following an audit that uncovered suspected payroll irregularities amounting to Ksh.6.2 billion in 12 State Departments.

President Ruto also directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate the suspected payroll fraud, verify personal numbers used in payroll processing, dismantle criminal networks manipulating government payroll systems, recover lost public funds and ensure those found culpable are arrested and prosecuted.

Consequently, the Cabinet further approved the immediate rollout of a government-wide payroll reform programme, including the migration of all ministries, departments, agencies and State corporations to the revamped Integrated Human Resource and Payroll System.