NAROK, Kenya — President William Ruto has turned to the military to speed up hospital construction, a move that is drawing both praise and questions about the role of soldiers in civilian projects.
Speaking at the launch of Sogoo Level 4 Hospital in Narok County on Wednesday, Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru confirmed that Kenya Defence Forces officers will supervise more than 75 health facilities nationwide.
“The army will supervise the contractor. It is as clear as that,” Mr Mariru told the crowd. “All the labour will be done by the youths in Sogoo. We will put two officers and every evening they will give me a report on the progress.”
The government says the hospital will be completed within 11 months. The site had become an embarrassment for Mr Ruto after he saw the stalled works during a visit in May.
The deployment is not entirely new. KDF has previously been sent to manage large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly when deadlines were in doubt. Officials say the arrangement is not meant to sideline other state agencies but to “partner” with ministries such as health and sports.
Still, it underscores the growing role of the military in public life — from roadworks to housing, and now health services.
Mr Mariru stressed that unskilled jobs would go to residents, an assurance meant to calm fears that the community might be excluded from work opportunities.
Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu welcomed the move. He noted that residents had long travelled to neighbouring Bomet County for treatment. “This hospital is a big relief,” he said, adding that Sogoo was now one of four Level 4 facilities in the county.
He also announced plans to improve road access to the hospital and promised land title deeds for settlers in Cheluget farm, alongside resettlement of families evicted from the Maasai Mau forest.
Beyond Narok, the Defence Ministry says soldiers will oversee projects in Siaya, Kapsabet, Dagoretti, Meru, Ol Kalou, and Githunguri, among others.
The government argues that KDF’s discipline and tight reporting structure can prevent delays and ensure taxpayers see results. Critics, however, warn that repeated reliance on the military risks blurring lines between civilian and defence responsibilities.
For the residents of Sogoo, those debates may feel distant. What matters now is the promise that, after years of waiting, a fully functioning hospital could finally be within reach.
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