This archive report was first published on 3 August 2019.
On Saturday, Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso was laid to rest in her home in Koru, Kisumu County, amidst calls for the government to declare cancer a national disaster.
Laboso's death on Monday, just two days after the passing of Kibra MP Ken Okoth, who also succumbed to cancer, has sparked a national conversation about the country's health system.
Wycliffe Oparanya, Chairman of the Council of Governors, urged the government to consider declaring cancer a national disaster, saying, "We need to have a very sober conversation about our health system even as we call upon you to consider declaring cancer a national disaster."
Deputy President William Ruto described cancer as the "most dangerous disease we have today," and assured the public that the government is committed to managing the crisis.
However, President Kenyatta chose not to comment on the request to declare cancer a national disaster, instead focusing on mourning Laboso.
Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga lamented the high number of cancer-related deaths in the country, saying, "We are burying too many people to cancer, we have buried more than ten people recently who have died of cancer."
Other leaders present at the burial, including Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka, also expressed their condolences and called for more to be done to address the cancer crisis.
