KMTC students protest building of Kisumu cancer centre

By VICTOR OTIENO            
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He said that they have plans to carry a number of developments on it, which include building lecture halls, an engineering center, library and a playground for the students.

According to the chairman, over the years, the institution has continued to loose parts of its piece of land to various institutions around.

He said a 2003 government circular by the Ministry of Health directed that hospitals partition the land they own from that by KMTC's around and it is then that the institution took the ownership of the piece of land.

However, the county government refuted the claims stating the piece of land where the institution sits belongs to the devolved unit and that the construction work will proceed as scheduled.

"The construction of the facility will continue because we (Kisumu County government) have the title deed and everybody needs the hospital,” said Finance Minister Nerry Achar, adding the construction of the facility will be done at a tune between Sh 300 to 400 million and will be done in phases. The project will take four years.

The fate of a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Kisumu Radiotheraphy Centre which was to take place this afternoon hangs in the balance after Kisumu Medical Training College (KMTC) students stormed the grounds where tents had been erected and brought them down.

Led by the institution's officials, they held a peaceful demonstration on the piece of land where the cancer centre is to be built, claiming the land belongs to KMTC.

KMTC students brought down tents pitched ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kisumu Radiotherapy Centre on May 10, 2019. PHOTO | VICTOR OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The students later walked back to their classes.

The county government was forced to change the venue of the ceremony which was graced by Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o.

KMTC students return to class after bringing down the tents that had been erected for the groundbreaking ceremony of Kisumu Radiotherapy Centre on May 10, 2019. PHOTO | VICTOR OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The event was held at Jaramogi Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTH) grounds.

KMTC chairman Philip Kaloki said the piece of land belongs to KMTC and thanked the students for coming out to protect the institution's 'asset'.

"We have the map showing clearly that this land belongs to the institution," said Prof Kaloki.

He said the institution has plans to build lecture halls, an engineering centre, a library and a playground for the students on the disputed land.

Prof Kaloki added that over the years the college has lost some parts of the land to other institutions in the area.

But, the county government refuted the claims and said the college sits on a piece of land that belongs to the devolved unit.

He added that construction of the cancer centre will proceed as scheduled.

"Kisumu County government has the title deed for the land and everybody needs the new hospital,” said Finance Minister Nerry Achar.

She said the cancer centre will cost between Sh300 to 400 million and will be done in phases.

The project will take four years, she said.