President Uhuru Kenyatta has reiterated that threats and insults will not discourage him from working to improve the lives of Kenyans.
Addressing wananchi after opening the Mama Margaret Kenyatta Children Hospital in Nairobi County’s Korogocho informal settlement on Friday, President Kenyatta emphasized that he will continue focusing on national unity and peace as the most important ingredients for the country’s progress.
“I will continue to stand firm in my resolution that national unity is the most important thing for the country’s development and progress. I believe that justice will prevail not threats and insults,” President Kenyatta said.
The President cited the newly opened hospital as an example of the developments that can be achieved if all leaders worked together for the country’s common good.
“If all of us, as leaders, join hands and concentrate on working together, we will succeed in transforming the lives of Kenyans. A good example is this hospital project that had stalled for close to 30 years but we managed to finish it when the national and county governments together with other leaders joined hands to ensure its completion,” President Kenyatta said.
The construction of the four-storey 350-bed hospital that is set to decongest Kenyatta National Referral Hospital as well as other level 4 hospitals in the city county was completed by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).
Among the services that will be offered by the new facility include out-patient, in-patient, maternity, diagnostics, special clinics, intensive care unit services, dialysis, mortuary, accident and emergency services.
The hospital is one of the 24 health facilities which President Kenyatta directed NMS Director-General Lt. Gen. Mohamed Badi to build in Nairobi.
President Kenyatta pointed out that since the work on the 24 health facilities started, 18 of them have been completed and have served more than 4 million residents of informal settlements in Nairobi County.
“This shows that the efforts we have put in improving public hospitals are bearing fruits,” President Kenyatta said.
At the same time, the Head of State urged the youth including “boda boda” riders to be wary of politicians out to misuse them for cheap political mileage.
The President assured “boda boda” riders and other small traders that the Government has no intention of frustrating them as purported by some politicians but instead it is working to improve their welfare.
“I will organize to meet you soon so that together we can work on how to improve the sector and ensure you reap maximum benefits from your sweat,” the President assured boda boda riders.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the opening of the hospital is a culmination of the President’s directive to take quality health services closer to citizens through the Universal Health Coverage.
Other speakers at the event that was also attended by local leaders from the area included Lt. Gen. Badi and Nairobi Governor Anne Kananu.
Lt. Gen. Badi thanked President Kenyatta for his support, saying it has ensured NMS implement several projects that have benefitted wananchi especially in the informal settlements.
