Senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche Was Right to Call Out Nakuru’s Healthcare Crisis, The Governor Must Be Held Accountable
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Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche took a bold and necessary step on the floor of the Senate by addressing the appalling state of healthcare in Nakuru County. Her remarks, which exposed the harrowing reality of expectant mothers being forced to give birth on roads due to inadequate medical facilities, struck a nerve with county bloggers and defenders of the status quo. Instead of addressing the substance of her concerns, these defenders have resorted to castigating her for daring to speak the truth. But let us ask ourselves: if the elected representatives of the people do not stand up against such injustices, who will?
The case of the woman in Kuresoi North’s Amalo Ward, who was captured on television lamenting about the county’s poor road network and substandard health facilities, is not an isolated incident. It is a reflection of a much broader crisis that the Nakuru County government has failed to address. How many more women must suffer the indignity of delivering their babies on dirt roads before those in power take action? How many more families must endure loss due to preventable medical emergencies? How is it possible that in 2025, a county that boasts of being one of the economic hubs of Kenya still grapples with such shameful healthcare failures?
Even more disgraceful is that while Nakuru residents struggle with a collapsing healthcare system, the very individual entrusted with fixing the problem, the Governor, is abroad seeking medical treatment. This is an outright betrayal of the electorate. How can a leader who swore an oath to serve the people abandon them at their most vulnerable moment? If Nakuru’s hospitals are not good enough for the governor, why should they be good enough for the ordinary mwananchi?
This is the height of hypocrisy. Leaders should be the first to experience the services they provide their citizens. The fact that Nakuru’s top leadership finds it more convenient to seek medical care abroad is an indictment of their own failure. Why hasn’t the governor prioritized improving hospitals in Nakuru to the point where they can meet international standards? If the public health system is collapsing, it is because of failed leadership.
Instead of amplifying Senator Karanja’s call for better healthcare, certain county bloggers, presumably under the governor’s payroll, have chosen to vilify her for bringing up the issue in the Senate. This exposes their blatant disregard for the suffering of Nakuru residents. Why should they attack a senator who is advocating for better healthcare? Shouldn’t they be demanding answers from the governor instead?
This misplaced outrage only proves that some individuals would rather defend those in power than fight for the rights of ordinary citizens. It is unacceptable, and Nakuru residents must see through these diversions meant to shield the county leadership from scrutiny.
Senator Karanja’s call to bar public officials from seeking medical treatment outside Kenya is long overdue. This proposal is not about denying anyone quality healthcare, it is about ensuring that leaders have a stake in the healthcare systems they preside over. If elected officials were forced to rely on local hospitals, they would have no choice but to improve them.
Imagine if the governor had no option but to seek treatment at the very same Nakuru Level 5 Hospital that ordinary citizens rely on. Would she not prioritize equipping it with modern medical technology and ensuring that doctors are well-paid and well-trained? Would she not be at the forefront of healthcare reform rather than running away from her own failures?
It is time for Nakuru residents to demand better from their leaders. Healthcare is not a luxury, it is a fundamental human right. Those in power must be held accountable for their actions, and no amount of online propaganda should be allowed to distract from the real issue: Nakuru County is failing its people.
Senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche was absolutely right to raise this issue in the Senate. Her critics are not just wrong, they are complicit in enabling the very system that continues to fail Nakuru residents. The governor must return home and face the reality of her failures.
The people of Nakuru deserve leaders who will stand with them, not those who flee when the going gets tough.
With a knack for captivating storytelling, Amos Lumbasi has a talent for crafting narratives that resonate with readers. He combines meticulous research with a captivating writing style to create articles that are both informative and enjoyable to read.
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