Col Oguna said it was unfortunate that the country has in every election cycle witnessed violence leading to loss of lives, injuries, displacements and destruction of property.

File: A man holds a tear gas canister thrown by Kenyan police officers during a protest against police brutality and harassment, especially against the poor, in Nairobi on July 7, 2021. - The protests are also known as saba-saba, a phrase used to reference demonstrations that took place on the seventh day of the seventh month to agitate against the authoritarian rule of a then single-party state in the 1990's. (Photo by Patrick Meinhardt / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT/AFP via Getty Images)File: A man holds a tear gas canister thrown by Kenyan police officers during a protest against police brutality and harassment, especially against the poor, in Nairobi on July 7, 2021. - The protests are also known as saba-saba, a phrase used to reference demonstrations that took place on the seventh day of the seventh month to agitate against the authoritarian rule of a then single-party state in the 1990's. (Photo by Patrick Meinhardt / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT/AFP via Getty Images)

“Kenyans should learn to allow democracy to thrive in an election and shun politicians out to incite them to violence after losing in polls,” said Mr Oguna

It is important, he said, for voters in the country to learn to elect their leaders in the spirit of competition with the best candidate being the winner, without the losers retaliating with violence.

“In some instances, we have had people destroying roads, hospitals, schools and other public institutions and utilities as way of venting anger for the loss in an election by the candidates they rallied behind. This should come to an end,” said Mr Oguna.

Elections, he noted, is not about life and death, as there must be winners and losers in any competition.

The 2008 post-election violence, that rocked the country following a disputed Presidential poll pitting former President Mwai Kibaki and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, remains the worst case of polls-related violence in the country's history.

Mr Oguna was speaking at Longisa County Referral hospital in Bomet county on Wednesday in the company of County Executive Committee (CEC) in charge of Medical Services and Public Health Dr Joseph Sitonik, the hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr Isaac Birech, and Deputy County Commissioner in charge of Bomet East Mr Joash Abonngo.

The national and county governments have partnered in the upgrade and equipping of the oncology, renal and maternity wings at Longisa county referral hospital in the last four years.

“Provision of Universal Health Care (UHC) is a major agenda for the government especially in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mr Oguna.

The 68,000 people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Bomet county, he noted, was still very low and there is a need to sensitise residents to take the jab so as to save lives.

All development projects initiated by President Kenyatta’s administration, he said, will be completed before the end of his term. 

“All ongoing projects will be completed while those that are pending will be implemented in due course,” said Mr Oguna while responding to questions from journalists after he toured the hospital.

The national government is constructing two major road projects being upgraded to bitumen standards in Bomet county with the 75 kilometres Tenwek-Merigi-Tegat-Chemaner and Kimuchul-Longisa, and Kembu-Longisa road being at 10 per cent implementation level.

Kyogong-Sigor and the Longisa-Chebunyo road linking Bomet East and Chepalungu counties with the main Nairobi-Narok-Bomet-Kisii highway are also being upgraded to tarmac from a murramed facility.

Residents of the region have repeatedly asked the government to speed up implementation of development projects in the region that has lagged behind in infrastructure upgrade in the South Rift region.