A simmering dispute on the location of Kirinyaga County’s first Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) has caused tension between two constituencies and risks stalling the highly anticipated project.
The tug-of-war is between Gichugu and Kirinyaga Central, each staking a claim on where the institution should be located. The dispute erupted after a letter from Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to Education CS Migos Ogamba on July 14, 2025, proposing the utilization of 10 acres of land from Kianyaga Boys High School in Gichugu for the campus
The proposal didn’t sit well with leaders and residents of Kirinyaga Central. They argue that land had already been earmarked for the college near Kerugoya Level Five Hospital a three-year-old facility they say is ideal for hands-on training.
“We were told the KMTC would be built in Kerugoya,” said Beth Wairimu, a resident of Kirinyaga Central. “Now it’s being moved to Kianyaga, where the land belongs to a school? This is unfair and doesn’t make sense.”
Local MCA Eric Muchina echoed her sentiments, arguing that KMTC campuses across Kenya are usually situated near major hospitals to ease student access to clinical exposure.
“How will students benefit if they have to travel from Gichugu to Kerugoya for practicals?” he asked.
But in Gichugu, the move has been welcomed with open arms. Supporters point to the ongoing construction of the Kianyaga Level IV Hospital, which they believe will provide sufficient training ground for KMTC students.
“This is a big win for us,” said Margaret Njeri, a Gichugu resident. “Our children will have access to training close to home, and the local economy will grow.”
Another resident, Mugo Gikombe, called for calm and cooperation. “KMTC is for the whole county Gichugu, Ndia, Mwea. Let’s stop the fighting and focus on the bigger picture.”
In his letter, CS Duale defended the proposed location by citing the planned hospital as a strategic reason for setting up the college in Gichugu.
However, not everyone is convinced. NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua raised concerns about the lack of public consultation.
“Kianyaga High School sits on public land,” she said. “If a decision has been made to take part of it, the process must be open and include the community. We won’t accept backroom deals or secret letters.”
Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, who hails from Kirinyaga, urged all sides to cool tensions.
“This project is meant to benefit everyone. If we politicize it, we risk losing out entirely,” she said.
For now, the standoff has cast a shadow over what many had hoped would boost health training opportunities in the area. Where Kirinyaga’s first KMTC finally ends up—in Kerugoya or Kianyaga remains to be seen but one thing is for sure: the drama is far from over.
