SPEECH

BY

H.E

HON

JOSEPH

NDATHI,

GOVERNOR

KIRINYAGA COUNTY DURING THE OCCASION TO HAND OVER

OF

THE

MOBILE

CLINIC

UNIT, TO COUNTY SPONSORED BY BEYOND ZERO CAMPAIGN

23RD MARCH 2016

HER EXCELLENCY, THE FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, MRS

MARGARET KENYATTA,
H.E. THE DEP. GOVERNOR OF KIRINYAGA COUNTY, HON JULIUS NJIIRI
MY SPOUSE, MRS EUNICE NDATHI
THE SPOUSES OF MY COLLEAGUE GOVERNORS PRESENT
THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, HON CLEOPHAS MAILU
HONOURABLE SENATOR, KIRINYAGA COUNTY, HON DANIEL KARABA
HON MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESENT
THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, DR. NICHOLAS MURAGURI
THE CEC, COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, HON WAMBU MIANO
OTHER CECS PRESENT HERE TODAY
HONOURABLE SPEAKER OF THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY, HON ANNE GITHINJI
HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY PRESENT
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, MR. ERASTUS EKIDOR
ACTING DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL SERVICES DR JACKSON KIOKO

DIRECTOR NATIONAL AIDS CONTROL COUNCIL, DR.NDUKU

KILONZO
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UN JOINT PROGRAMME ON HIV AND
AIDS
REPRESENTATIVE OF COOPERATIVE BANK
ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,

GOOD MORNING,
YOUR EXCELLENCY
IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO KIRINYAGA
COUNTY. ON BEHALF OF THE GREAT PEOPLE OF KIRINYAGA, YOU ARE
MOST WELCOME AND FEEL AT HOME.

I PROFOUNDLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNIQUE AND NOBLE

INITIATIVE OF BEYOND ZERO CAMPAIGN, AND APPLAUD YOUR
GREAT EFFORT AND SACRIFICE IN RAISING VISIBILITY AND HUGE
RESOURCES THAT HAVE MADE THE BEYOND ZERO CAMPAIGN THE
GREAT SUCCESS IT HAS BECOME.
I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR DETERMINATION TO MOBILIZE
RESOURCES TO REALIZE YOUR GOAL OF ENSURING THAT ALL THE 47
COUNTIES IN KENYA RECEIVE A MOBILE CLINIC. THIS IS BY NO
MEANS AN EASY TASK.
I FURTHER RECOGNIZE WITH DEEP APPRECIATION THE SUPPORT
OFFERED BY DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS FOR THE BEYOND ZERO
CAMPAIGN AND THE COOPERATIVE BANK FOR DONATING THE
MOBILE CLINIC THAT WE ARE RECEIVING TODAY.

YOUR EXCELLENCY
AT THE ONSET OF DEVOLUTION, MY GOVERNMENT INHERITED A
HEALTH SECTOR THAT WAS BESET BY CERTAIN CHALLENGES WHICH
INCLUDED; UNDER RESOURCED HUMAN AND FINANCIAL
RESOURCES, RUNDOWN INFRASTRUCTURE AND A WEAK REFERRAL
AND OUTREACH SERVICES.
FACED WITH THESE CHALLENGES, OUR RESOLVE AS A GOVERNMENT
WAS TO UNDERTAKE DELIBERATE, FOCUSED, CONCERTED AND
SUSTAINED EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH SECTOR IN THE
COUNTY.
I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE SITUATION HAS MARKEDLY
IMPROVED AND MY GOVERNMENT HAS CONSISTENTLY COMMITTED
MORE THAN 30% OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET TO THE HEALTH
SECTOR.
OWING TO THIS, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF KIRINYAGA HAS
BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT GAINS;
EMPLOYMENT OF OVER 500 NEW HEALTH PERSONNEL SINCE
2013 WHICH HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE QUALITY AND

RANGE OF HEALTH SERVICES THAT THE PEOPLE OF KIRINYAGA

ENJOY.
OPERATIONALIZATION OF 8 NEW HEALTH FACILITIES.
UPGRADED ONE HEALTH CENTER TO A HOSPITAL STATUS.
ONGOING CONSTRUCTION OF 13 NEW HEALTH CENTERS AND
DISPENSARIES, 5 LABORATORIES, 2 X-RAY UNITS AMONG OTHER
KEY INVESTMENTS.
PROCUREMENT OF 4 NEW AMBULANCES WHICH HAS IMPROVED
EMERGENCY
CARE AND REFERRAL SERVICES.
EQUIPPING AND OPERATIONALIZATION OF 5 MATERNITY
FACILITIES WHICH, COUPLED WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL
DIRECTIVE FOR FREE MATERNITY SERVICES HAS INCREASED
DEMAND FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES INCLUDING SKILLED
DELIVERIES AS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS.
THESE INVESTMENTS HAVE MADE KIRINYAGA COUNTY TO BE
DECLARED SEVERALLY TO BE THE BEST COUNTY FOR MOTHERS TO
DELIVER. WE HOPE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. AND WITH THIS MOBILE
CLINIC, IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
IT IS EVIDENT THAT HEALTH IS A DEVOLVED FUNCTION, WITH THE
COUNTY GOVERNMENTS CHARGED WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL

RESPONSIBILITY OF HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION. WE HOWEVER

APPRECIATE THE IMMENSE ROLE THAT THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT, DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS AND PHILANTHROPIC
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BEYOND ZERO INITIATIVE PLAY IN
COMPLEMENTING HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION. AS A COUNTY
GOVERNMENT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PARTNERS THAT
ADD VALUE TO THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE OFFERING. WE HAVE AN
OPEN DOOR POLICY WHERE WE ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO
PARTNER ON ANY INITIATIVE THAT IS GEARED TOWARDS THE
IMPROVEMENT OF THE LIVELIHOODS OF OUR PEOPLE.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,
I WOULD WISH TO POINT OUT THAT THE MOBILE UNIT YOU WILL
PRESENT HERE TODAY IS BOTH APPROPRIATE TO OUR SITUATION AND
TAILOR-MADE FOR OUR NEEDS. WE CONSIDER THE DELIVERY OF
THIS MOBILE UNIT TIMELY AND A GOD-SENT GIFT TO THE COUNTY
RESIDENTS. IT IS A RESOURCE THAT WILL HIGHLY BENEFIT OUR
PEOPLE. UNDOUBTEDLY, THE CLINIC WILL ENHANCE THE MOBILE
OUTREACH SERVICES ALL OVER THE COUNTY AND CONTRIBUTE

IMMENSELY TOWARDS THE ATTAINMENT OF THE BEYOND ZERO

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,
IN CONCLUDING MY REMARKS, I WISH TO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN,
OTHER SPONSORS OF THIS CAMPAIGN, COUNTY FIRST LADIES AND
EVERYONE GATHERED HERE TODAY AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE
BUT IN SOME WAY SUPPORTED BEYOND ZERO CAMPAIGN EFFORTS
THROUGH DONATIONS OR MESSAGES OF GOODWILL, I SALUTE YOU
AND SAY ASANTE SANA.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING THIS NOBLE CAUSE AND SUPPORTING
ITS ENDEAVORS.

GOD BLESS YOU

GOD BLESS KIRINYAGA
GOD BLESS KENYA

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

MAY YOU NOW JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE FIRST LADY, HER

EXCELLENCY MRS MARGARET KENYA, TO GIVE HER KEY NOTE
ADDRESS