Friday, February 06,
2026 - Laikipia County is on the receiving end after unveiling its
controversial ‘boda boda ambulances’ meant to ferry pregnant women across
remote areas.
The initiative, launched at Nanyuki County Referral Hospital
by Health CECM, Albert Taiti, was intended to reduce maternal deaths by
providing transport where conventional ambulances cannot reach.
Governor Joshua Irungu defended the project, noting that
poor road networks have cost lives, and the customised motorcycles - equipped
with sidecars, stretchers, and first aid kits - were designed to bridge that
gap.
But Kenyans online were far from impressed.
Many castigated the move as primitive, unsafe and a mockery
of public service.
Critics questioned how expectant mothers could endure the
discomfort of a wheelbarrow‑style carrier on rugged terrain, while others
argued that funds should have been directed towards proper ambulances.
One user on X fumed, “With 200m the county can have 20 to 40
ambulances instead of this mkokoteni to serve our women!”
Despite the backlash, the project is backed by the Swedish‑supported
Eezer Initiative, which has piloted similar motorcycle ambulances in Burundi,
completing 24,000 pregnancy‑related transports between 2021 and 2023.
Eezer’s coordinator for Laikipia, Dr Alfred Sadera, insists that the innovation addresses a critical gap in maternal health, especially in regions where poor roads and long distances remain deadly obstacles.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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