Members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on National Administration and Internal Security have called on the government to relocate Nakuru State House.
During a session on Wednesday, May 13, the committee cited congestion, lack of expansion space and Nakuru’s growing importance as a city and regional economic hub.
Nakuru County Woman Representative Liza Chelule spearheaded the push for relocation, arguing that the current State House no longer matches the image expected of such a facility.
"The State House is in a very poor position and condition, considering it is just next to the main road to Nairobi," she told the committee.
Chelule noted that the residence sits along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway and is surrounded by high-rise developments, leaving little room for expansion.
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"I am proposing that Nakuru, being a city now, we can get more than 100 acres and relocate so that we come up with the right structures that reflect the stature and dignity of State House," she added.
Chelule maintained that further investment at the existing site would only compound the congestion problem.
"It is not in the right position. It is squeezed between tall buildings and there is no room for expansion. I think we need to do something different and relocate completely from that place," she further said.
Committee chairperson and Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo acknowledged the concerns, saying the committee had previously discussed the matter.
"Of course, they are the rightful owners, and the issue of space remains a challenge," he said, referring to neighbouring landowners and county government property surrounding the State House.
Tongoyo, however, pointed out that the current budget includes Ksh100 million for renovation works at State Houses and State lodges across the country.
He proposed that part of the allocation be used to refurbish facilities at Nakuru State House as conversations on relocation continue.
"Out of the Sh100 million allocation, we can at least improve that pavilion as we continue discussions on acquiring land or relocating the facility," he added.
Tongoyo specifically suggested renovation of a pavilion previously used by former President Daniel arap Moi to host delegations.
But Chelule dismissed the idea, insisting that renovations alone would not address the core problem.
"We need to get out of that place. Even if we are going to do a pavilion within that space, we are doing nothing completely. Let’s move out of that place," she argued.
State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito told lawmakers that several State House facilities across the country were grappling with ageing infrastructure and physical limitations that make expansion costly.
"It is very expensive. You can imagine the noise this country is making when we are just doing one facility. Suppose we picked three in one financial year," he stated.
Metito explained that the government had prioritised renovation of State House facilities in Nairobi, Mombasa and Eldoret due to their deteriorating condition.
"The problem we are having is that most of these facilities are very old. Some, like Mombasa, have very limited room for expansion," he added.
On the Nakuru facility, Metito acknowledged that expansion options remain limited because the neighbouring properties belong to legitimate landowners.
"We also want to expand Nakuru, but there is very little space. The people around are genuine landowners, so we can only engage them to see whether they are willing to sell," he further said.
Metito further revealed that the government had already acquired an additional three acres in Eldoret from a willing seller, with the cost included in the current budget.
He also defended continued funding for maintenance of State lodges, saying they are essential during presidential tours across the country.
"Even if we focus on two or three facilities, we must still allocate money for routine maintenance on the others so that whenever there is an activity, the State lodge or State House looks presentable," he noted.
Elsewhere, the National Assembly Committee on Health has raised alarm over the quality of smartphones issued to Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to support the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Speaking on Tuesday, May 12, when Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga appeared before the committee, Seme Member of Parliament James Nyikal noted that most of the devices issued to 100,000 CHPs had become faulty.
During the session, Oluga told the MPs that the Medical Services State Department prioritised settling Ksh876.9 million in pending bills for the purchase of smartphones for the health promoters.
The revelation by Oluga triggered a sharp reaction from members of the committee, who said they had interacted with the health promoters and confirmed that most of the devices were not functioning.
"I interact with the CHPs, including recently, and I confirm that over 60 per cent of the phones distributed to the grassroots health workers do not work. Most of them say they cannot even log on to the gadgets where they are supposed to provide reports," Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron said.
Nyikal, who chairs the committee, said the Ministry of Health would be required to provide a report on the status of the devices before additional funds could be approved for the purchase of more smartphones.
"Kenyans need value for their money. We cannot allocate more money for the ministry to buy smartphones that did not work," he said.
In response, Oluga said the ministry had taken note of the concerns raised by the Committee and would provide all the necessary documentation.
"We will provide the necessary documents to the Committee, including conducting an assessment of the performance of the phones," he stated.
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