President William Ruto has made a major commitment to strengthen emergency response in Kenya, pledging over KSh500 million, a prime piece of land in Nairobi, and 15 new ambulances to St John Ambulance Kenya.

The Head of State made the announcements on Sunday during the 95th St John Ambulance Annual Parade and Inspection at State House, Nairobi. The event brought together cadets, volunteers, and officers of the organisation, who marched in formation showcasing discipline and preparedness.

Speaking at the event, President Ruto confirmed that the government has allocated St John Ambulance Kenya a one-acre parcel of land in Upper Hill, Nairobi, for the construction of a modern national headquarters. The President announced that the organisation can collect its title deed from the Ministry of Lands starting Monday, fulfilling a pledge he had previously made.

The President also revealed that following consultations with Parliament, St John Ambulance Kenya has agreed to surrender its current building located near Parliament. In return, Parliament will provide KSh300 million towards the construction of the new facility. The national government will supplement this with an additional KSh200 million, bringing the total package to KSh500 million.

"I have also engaged the Speaker of Parliament, and between St John's Ambulance Kenya and Parliament, we have agreed that you will surrender the small building near Parliament, and Parliament is going to give Sh300 million for you to be able to build your new headquarters," Ruto said. He added: "The Government of Kenya will equally support St John's Ambulance Kenya. We will add Sh200 million to make sure that you have a modern building".

Beyond the headquarters project, President Ruto directed the Ministry of Health to purchase 15 new ambulances for the organisation, which will be modern and integrated into the national emergency response system. The ambulances will be registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), strengthening the organisation's capacity to respond to emergencies across the country.

The President also announced increased funding for the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund under SHA. Consequently, the government will pay for emergency evacuation and treatment for all Kenyans within the first 24 hours. This move is expected to ease financial barriers during medical emergencies and ensure that no Kenyan is denied timely medical attention.

In addition, Kenya is set to launch its first-ever National Ambulance Dispatch Centre in Nairobi by the end of July. The centre will coordinate emergency evacuations, improve coordination, reduce response times, and ensure access to life-saving services across the country. Once operational, it is expected to coordinate approximately 100,000 emergency evacuations annually.

President Ruto commended St John Ambulance volunteers, describing them as first responders who are often the first people on the scene when accidents and other disasters strike. He noted that the organisation's 62,000 volunteers play an indispensable role in easing victims' pain. Beyond emergency response, the organisation mentors young people, instilling discipline, promoting civic responsibility, and standing with vulnerable communities.

"Hawa ni mashujaa!" the President said as he observed a live simulation of a road accident rescue operation conducted by St John Ambulance teams during the ceremony.

The pledges come as the government seeks to modernise emergency response infrastructure and expand access to rapid medical assistance across Kenya.