Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale once again found himself in the spotlight after a dramatic confrontation on October 3, 2025, during a Senate oversight visit to the incomplete Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The visit, which was part of a routine inspection, turned chaotic after tensions between the senators and county officials spilled over, and a video of the incident has since gone viral on social media platforms like X and Facebook, attracting mixed reactions from Kenyans.
Khalwale had been accompanied by Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and other members of the Senate Health Committee as they toured the stalled project.
The multi-billion shilling hospital, launched in 2020, was expected to serve as a Level 5 referral facility, easing the strain on existing hospitals in the region.
However, instead of finding ongoing construction, the team was met with empty grounds, silent buildings, and idle equipment.
Construction workers were nowhere to be seen, a sight that sparked visible anger among the visiting leaders.
Khalwale, in particular, was not impressed by what he saw. He lashed out at Governor Fernandes Barasa’s administration, accusing it of mismanaging public resources.
Standing before half-completed structures, he described the state of the hospital as a betrayal of Kakamega residents who had placed their hopes in the facility.
In the viral video, the senator is seen gesturing aggressively as he addresses a gathered crowd, declaring that taxpayers’ money had gone to waste.
The situation became heated when county officials sent by Governor Barasa arrived to engage with the senators. Witnesses claim one of the governor’s aides spoke to Khalwale in a dismissive and rude tone, provoking the senator further.
In the middle of the altercation, Khalwale allegedly pushed the aide on the chest, causing him to stagger backward before other senators stepped in to restrain him.
The intervention prevented the confrontation from turning into a physical fight, though the tension remained high.
After the scuffle, Khalwale made it clear that he would not let the matter slide. He warned that those responsible for the stalled project would face accountability, promising residents that if he retained his seat in 2027, he would ensure arrests were made.
His strong words drew cheers from supporters who saw him as standing firm against corruption, but they also drew criticism from others who felt his conduct was unbecoming of a senator and lowered the dignity of his office.
The Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital has been one of the county’s most troubled projects. Originally slated for completion by 2024, the hospital has been delayed by corruption scandals, procurement irregularities, and allegations of inflated contracts.
With the project still incomplete five years after its launch, residents remain forced to rely on the already overwhelmed Kakamega County General Hospital and smaller health facilities.
The Senate Public Accounts and Investments Committee has now summoned county officials for questioning over the stalled project, a session expected to shed more light on what led to the collapse of progress.
Governor Barasa is yet to issue an official statement on the incident, though his close allies have dismissed the senators’ visit as nothing more than a political ambush aimed at discrediting his administration.
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