This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
The Cabinet has approved a plan to take over the Gilgil Mental Hospital from Nakuru County government as part of addressing rising cases of mental health in the country. This decision was made on July 3, 2020.
The move follows a request by the County government through the Ministry of Health to take over the facility due to strained financial constraints.
Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui requested the national government to take over the facility, citing its critical importance and the strain it had put on the County's budget.
Speaking in Gilgil, Governor Kinyanjui praised the medics at the facility for their dedication to caring for mental patients, some of whom had been abandoned by their families for over 20 years.
On COVID-19, the Governor announced that Naivasha and Gilgil sub-county hospitals had been identified as centers for treatment of the disease in case the numbers continued to rise.
He also revealed that the government had released funds to expand the two facilities, with Gilgil getting a 100-bed capacity.
Regarding the planned impeachment, Governor Kinyanjui hit out at some MCAs who he termed as greedy and power-hungry, stating that his government would not be cowed by their threats.
However, the leader of the majority in the county assembly, Moses Ndung'u, disassociated himself with the impeachment, stating that they were fully behind the Governor.
