The national government has commenced construction of a Sh206.5 million students’ village in Voi Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in a move aimed at addressing accommodation shortages and strengthening medical training in Taita Taveta County.
The project, which was officially handed over to a contractor on Wednesday, will comprise hostels with a total capacity of 580 beds and is expected to be completed within 52 weeks.
Voi Constituency Member of Parliament Eng. Abdi Chome said the government-funded project demonstrated the State’s commitment to expanding access to health training institutions outside major urban centres.
“As the area MP, I have come to witness the handing over of the site to the contractor for the construction of the students’ village which will hold 580 bed capacity,” said Chome.
He said the project was fully financed by the national government and acknowledged the role of President William Ruto in supporting infrastructure development in education and training.
“We thank the national government under the patronage of the President for funding such a big project like this in Voi,” he said.
According to the MP, the lack of on-campus accommodation has for years limited enrolment growth at Voi KMTC, forcing students to seek private housing in nearby estates. He said the government’s intervention would ease this burden and enable the institution to expand its intake.
Chome said the project would also deliver economic benefits to the local community, particularly the youth, during the construction phase.
“We welcome the contractor, and we urge him to consider Voi youths in the construction of the hostel,” he said, urging young people to take advantage of employment opportunities created by government projects to earn income and build skills.
“To our youths, let’s take advantage of such projects, both the national, NG-CDF and county government projects, to work and earn a living,” he said.
The MP said the government had also put in place mechanisms to ensure that skills acquired during construction were formally recognized.
He said youths who consistently reported to work would be certified by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) in partnership with Taita Taveta National Polytechnic, enabling them to seek employment in the construction sector across the country.
Chome said government support for Voi KMTC had already translated into increased enrolment, particularly among local students.
He noted that when he was elected in 2022, only about 155 students from Taita Taveta County were enrolled at the institution out of a total population of about 350.
“Currently, there are over 450 students studying in Voi KMTC who are residents of Taita Taveta County out of the total enrolment of 958 students,” said Chome.
He attributed the increase to awareness campaigns and bursary support facilitated through collaboration between the government and the institution.
“We have stood with parents and guardians in providing bursaries so that students can learn, complete Form Four and join this institution. Even when they are here, we have been supporting them,” he said, adding that the government was keen to see the numbers grow further.
Taita Taveta Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo said the hostel project highlights the importance of collaboration between the national and county governments in strengthening training institutions.
She said enrolment at Voi KMTC could reach as high as 3,000 students in the future, making the construction of the students’ village a critical step.
“The population is increasing and could easily reach 3,000, and hence construction of the students’ village is a step towards achieving that,” she said.
Kilalo said the county government had worked closely with the institution to support healthcare training, noting that more than 74 health facilities in Taita Taveta County depended on trainees and graduates from Voi and Taveta KMTCs.
She said the county government had complemented national government efforts by providing eight lecturers to bridge staffing gaps at Voi KMTC. She expressed optimism that by the March intake, enrolment would surpass 1,000 students, further justifying the government’s investment in accommodation.
Voi KMTC Principal Josephine Nzesya said the government-funded project marked a turning point for the campus, which has operated for nearly a decade without on-campus accommodation.
Voi KMTC was established in September 2016 with just 19 students enrolled in the health records and information department. Since then, enrollment has grown steadily, reaching a population of 958 students.
“As of today, around 10 years down the line, we have a total population of 958 students, and one of our key problems that we’ve been facing is accommodation for the students,” said Nzesya.
She said none of the students had ever been accommodated within the college since its inception, despite the institution’s growth.
“I’m so grateful to God Almighty and our President Dr William Samoei Ruto for giving us this students’ village for our students because now they will be accommodated in the college,” she said.
Nzesya said national government support, working alongside the county government and local leadership, had strengthened both infrastructure and academic capacity at the campus.
She cited the addition of eight lecturers by the county government in 2024, which she said boosted enrolment from 423 to the current 958 students.
She said the construction of the students’ village would allow the government to further expand medical training programmes at Voi KMTC, positioning the institution as a centre of excellence for training medical professionals and paramedics in Taita Taveta County due to its strategic location next to Moi Voi County Referral Hospital.
Nzesya said completion of the hostels within one year would significantly improve student welfare and support the government’s broader agenda of strengthening healthcare systems through investment in training institutions.
By Arnold Linga Masila
