Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has corrected a headline by a local media outlet that suggested that his plan to offer a Kshs 6,000 to pregnant women was a plan to boost population in the county.

The governor noted that his intention was to address maternal healthcare to mitigate high mortality rates of mothers and children, and not to increase the county's population as suggested.

"The intention of this programme is not to boost population. Factors that cause fertility rate fall are complex . Cant be solved by such. Not sure if its wise to reverse the trend. The goal is to incentivise hospital deliveries, address maternal and infant mortality rates," he tweeted.

The article had reported that Kang'ata's stipend to the pregnant women was a reward aimed at taking good care of Murang'a women and remind them that the county has their interests at heart , in a bid to increase the number of children born in the county.

Of the amount, KSh 4,000 is to be paid during the last two months of the pregnancy and the remaining amount, KSh 2,000, after delivery.

 "This is a programme that seeks to support optimal health and survival of pregnant mothers and their babies," Kang'ata was quoted as saying by the publication. 

The county boss is making a raft of changes in the county administration, with the recent partnership with the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to roll out medical insurance cover, which will enable Murang’a residents access treatment free of charge.

Kang'ata noted that Murang'a is the first county to establish the insurance programme that will cater  for both inpatient, outpatient, dental, optical and last expense for 20,000 households across the county.

"NHIF and my County have today established ” Kang’ata Care “. It is  medical insurance cover – 1. Free to 20k Muranga households 2. Caters inpatient/ outpatient, dental ,optical and last expense cash of  100k payable to principal member plus dependants .FIRST IN KENYA,” Kangata stated.