Renovation of Nakuru Alms House underway

Nakuru County Gender Culture and Social Services Chief Officer Tume Abduba (right) and Alms House Manager Monica Wanjiku inspect ongoing refurbishment of the facility in Nakuru Town on November 13, 2019. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Records at the Nakuru Lands office indicate that the grabbers are former Municipal Council of Nakuru workers. 

  • Four modern cubicles have been constructed and are expected to be completed by early next year.

The refurbishment of Alms House, Nakuru’s 71-year-old home for the elderly has entered home stretch.

The home in Manyani estate has been neglected for more than three decades.

Currently, it accommodates 11 elderly men and women but upon its completion, the new cubicles accommodate 16 people.

Nakuru Municipal Council, which used to manage the home neglected the home. The defunct council allowed the land belonging to the home to be grabbed under their watch.

SEVEN ACRES

The land, which used to be more than seven acres, has been encroached by grabbers who have put up permanent structures.

Records at the Nakuru Lands office indicate that the grabbers are former Municipal Council of Nakuru workers. 

The first devolution government under Mr Kinuthia Mbugua did little to ensure the senior citizens peacefully enjoy their sunset years.

The compound was neglected with overgrown bushes, while the rooms that housed the elderly and the toilets were in deplorable state.   

To ensure the lives of senior citizens are improved, the Governor Lee Kinyanjui administration has launched an ambitious campaign to renovate the Alms House. Four modern cubicles have been constructed and are expected to be completed by early next year.

DEPLORABLE STATE

“At least 75 per cent of the refurbishment is complete and the elderly will no longer live in deplorable conditions,” said Ms Tume Abduba, Nakuru County Chief Officer in charge of Gender, Culture and Social services.

“The Governor Lee Kinyanjui administration has employed a graduate manager and this is part of the reforms to be undertaken at the Alms House,” he added.

She announced that in the next financial year, a modern kitchen, laundry and a caretaker office will be constructed at a cost of Sh7million.

Alms House Manager Monica Wanjiku said the county government was fast-tracking the recovery of grabbed land.

“We have held a series of meetings with the Lands department who have agreed to help us recover the grabbed land,” said Ms Wanjiku.

She said they would meet private developers who have encroached land before issuing them with eviction notices.