Kirinyaga Governor Anne Mumbi Waiguru has launched a garment factory which will benefit women across the county.
The factory effectively edges out brokers, middlemen and “tenderpreneurs” who have been supplying Kirinyaga-based hospitals with linen at high prices.
“The time when one individual was making millions of shillings by supplying low quality hospital linens is long gone,” said Waiguru according to the Star.
She spoke yesterday during the launch of the factory based at the county referral hospital in Kerugoya.
Her deputy Peter Ndambiri and several CECs had accompanied her.
She said she is bent on setting a precedent that with mechanisms to cut costs and seal exorbitance loopholes, counties can be run effectively and benefit the electorate.
The factory will be run by women groups which will supply all county hospital with linen.
The governor said the project dubbed “Tuwezeshe Wamama” is aimed at empowering women and also cutting costs.
Kirinyaga County government has provided the women groups with sewing machines and the fabric.
This move that has previously cost the county millions of shillings due to overpricing will now optimize these costs.
Waiguru also announced the county’s plan to construct a six-storey building county referral hospital and increase bed capacity from the current 250 to 500.