Uproar over plans to spend Sh80m on New Morgues

Kitui mortuary. [PHOTO: ANDREW KISAMWA/KITUI]

By Andrew Kisamwa

Kitui, Kenya: A section of Kitui residents have expressed discontent with the county government following its decision to spend close to Sh100 million for the construction of three mortuaries in the region.
The residents from the three sub-counties where the morgues will be constructed and equipped at a cost of Sh80 million criticised the project saying it is misplaced. They claim they could benefit more had their government considered constructing hospitals or equiping the existing health centers with more drugs or beds.
The county ministry of Health has already laid plans to construct and equip mortuaries in Mutomo, Kyuso and Mutito but none of the areas has a medical facility befitting a sub-county with locals getting medication from dispensaries.
Kitui South Member of Parliament, Dr Rachael Nyamai who has openly criticised the project claims the county government is spending funds on projects that are not on the priority list of the residents.
“Which should come first, a mortuary or a district hospital?” she asks.
The county wing of health received Sh975 million from the Sh6.5 billion annual budget. The sum constitutes only 15 per cent of the total budget and is very little for a portfolio expected to address all health issues of the vast county.
The ministry, which has a huge recurrent expenditure will have only Sh105 million remaining to fund development projects this year.
And with the mortuary project consuming a larger sum, the ministry will thereafter remain with only Sh25 million in the coffers which the minister says will be used to finance the activities of all the health facilities in the county.
The disgruntled residents now call for halting of the mortuary project and have the funds channeled towards equipping some health facilities.
“I would prefer the county government constructs just one mortuary and spend the remaining funds on other projects,” a senior Health officer from the Kitui District Hospital who sought anonymity for obvious reasons said.
The county Healthy minister, Ms Ruth Koki say the new mortuaries were intended to decongest the Kitui level IV Hospital mortuary which has a capacity of only 12 bodies.
“We incur high costs in transporting bodies of our loved ones to and from the Kitui District Hospital mortuary so it comes as a reprieve to hear the county will construct one close to us,” says Phillip Nganda from Mutito, Kitui East. 
Mr Boniface Mulei Mbiti, the officer in-charge of mortuary operations says there is need to construct other mortuaries and train personnel in other parts of the county to reduce congestion at the facility.