Ngirici Warns Kirinyaga Voters Against Party Loyalty, Hosts Mega Medical Camp Attended by Over 2,500 Residents.

Wangui Ngirici has urged Kirinyaga County residents to vote based on individual leadership qualities rather than party affiliations, warning that blind party loyalty at the ballot box has consistently disadvantaged the region’s development.

Speaking on Saturday, March 14, 2026, during a free medical camp she organised at Kangai Primary School, Ngirici said the county has suffered from voters prioritizing political parties over capable individuals.

“Kirinyaga is highly disadvantaged by electing parties,” she said, adding that a voter’s relationship with any party effectively ends the moment they cast their ballot.

Ngirici declared that she is yet to make a decision on her party affiliation ahead of her anticipated gubernatorial run, but pledged to follow the will of the people when the time comes.

“I will not swim upstream, where the people’s will be, is where I will go,” she said, signaling that her political direction will ultimately be determined by the wishes of her constituents.

The lawmaker’s remarks came as hundreds of residents flocked to the medical outreach, with turnout far surpassing organisers’ expectations. While the camp had been planned to serve approximately 1,000 people, more than 2,500 locals turned up to access free health services, a development Ngirici described as a clear indicator of the deep healthcare access challenges facing communities in the region.

“The response has been overwhelming. This shows just how much communities need such programmes,” she said, pledging to roll out similar camps across other parts of Kirinyaga so that more residents can benefit from preventive healthcare.

Ngirici also proposed the establishment of a health insurance scheme for Kirinyaga residents that would guarantee free medical attention, and urged locals to prioritise routine medical check-ups, emphasising that many illnesses are manageable when detected early.

Clinical Officer Jonathan Ngichiri, who was part of the medical team at the camp, confirmed that services offered included cancer screening, general consultations, and testing for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. He noted with concern that lifestyle-related illnesses were increasingly prevalent in the area, and that several young people had been referred for further treatment after previously undetected health conditions were identified during screenings.

“Some of the cases we are seeing involve young people who were not aware they had certain health conditions. Screening helps identify such issues early so they can receive proper treatment,” Ngichiri said. He called for greater collaboration between national and county governments and private partners to improve healthcare delivery.

Residents who attended the camp praised the initiative. Elizabeth Wambui Munene thanked Ngirici and called for more such programmes to support vulnerable community members, while Gladys Njeri urged the government to tackle the high cost of treatment in public hospitals, particularly for elderly citizens. Jackson Waweru echoed similar sentiments, calling for stronger programmes to support older residents with limited financial means.

Harrison Njeru, a resident from Kangai, appealed to young people to take advantage of medical camps, noting that many youths tend to ignore screening opportunities despite their importance in early disease detection.