A public event meant for the launch of a KSh 55 million sports academy in Bungoma turned hostile for Governor Kenneth Lusaka after residents dismissed his development track record.

The event held at Friends School Bokoli in Webuye West constituency had also been graced by Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Salim Mvurya.

Trouble started when Sports Principal Secretary (PS) Elijah Mwangi seemed to positively profile Lusaka’s road development record in the county.

The angry crowd told off the PS, asking him to stop commenting on the road issue. The locals claimed many roads in the county were in a bad state.

They challenged Governor Lusaka to move with speed and improve the road network in the agriculturally rich devolved unit.

When he took to the podium to speak during the event, the county boss asked residents to give him time. He revealed that he has plans to upgrade the road networks across the county.

“Road construction and upgrade is sometimes challenging because when you try to fix certain parts before tarmacking, the rains come and destroy everything. This is why we are having some parts with dilapidated roads, be patient as we address the issue,” Lusaka noted.

He also defended his development track record, revealing that his administration had initiated several projects, among them the distribution of subsidised fertilisers to farmers and the construction of Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi.

“Please, our sports CS, my friend, colleague and brother Mvurya, make efforts and push the contractor at Masinde Muliro Stadium to complete putting canopies around the stadium so that it is completed before June,” he said.

The governor also noted that the government through the Ministry of Health was set to construct a level six hospital in the county, a project he noted would go a long way towards enhancing access to healthcare in the region.

Once complete, the facility will be the only referral hospital in western Kenya.

“This is going to be a full-fledged hospital with consultants who would help in addressing different ailments,” Lusaka said.

He pointed out that residents would no longer travel to other regions seeking advanced treatment.

Currently, locals in the region get referral services at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret and the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu.

With Bungoma getting a level six hospital, Lusaka said, Kibabii University would have an opportunity to start a School of Medicine where students will be using the facility for practical lessons.

Earlier, Governor Lusaka hit out at his Trans Nzoia counterpart George Natembeya for politicising lease of Nzoia Sugar.

reported that the county boss claimed Natembeya and other leaders from the region were fueling protests against government's decision to lease the state-owned sugar mills.

He said the lease would help revive the factory that has struggled financially for years.

Source: TUKO.co.ke