A heated dispute has erupted over the proposed site for Kirinyaga County’s first Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), sparking a rivalry between Gichugu and Kirinyaga Central constituencies and threatening to stall the project.

The controversy stems from a letter dated July 14, 2025, in which Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale requested 10 acres of land from Kianyaga Boys High School in Gichugu Constituency for the KMTC campus.

Kerugoya vs. Kianyaga: The Battle for Location

Residents and leaders from Kirinyaga Central insist the campus should be built in Kerugoya, near the Kerugoya Level Five Hospital, arguing that its proximity to a major referral hospital aligns with the national model of KMTC placement and would provide immediate clinical exposure for students.

“We had been promised that KMTC would be built in Kerugoya. Now it is being shifted to Kianyaga, which is unfair,” lamented local resident Beth Wairimu.

Kerugoya MCA Eric Muchina reinforced this view, stressing that locating KMTC away from a referral hospital would inconvenience students.

On the other hand, Gichugu residents back the proposed Kianyaga site, pointing to the Kianyaga Level IV Hospital under construction.

“This college will uplift our region. Businesses will grow, and our children will benefit,” said Margaret Njeri, a Gichugu resident.

Political and Community Tensions Rise

The proposal has also drawn criticism from NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua, who demanded transparency and public participation in the allocation of school land.

“We will not accept secret letters that result in land grabs or stalled development,” Karua warned.

Meanwhile, Health PS Mary Muthoni has urged restraint, warning that politicizing the project could derail a development intended to benefit the entire county.