Former minister Franklin Bett was admitted to the hospital on Thursday night following injuries sustained in an accident on the Awasi-Kericho road in Kisumu County.
Two other passengers traveling with him, as well as his driver, also suffered injuries and were transported to the hospital, according to police reports. READ FULL STORY
The incident occurred around 7 PM on August 15 in the Karange area along the Awasi-Kericho road.
The accident involved Bett’s four-wheel drive vehicle colliding with a tractor that was transporting sugarcane.
Police indicated that the collision occurred when Bett’s driver struck the tractor while both vehicles were traveling in the same direction.
It is believed that the driver of Bett was unaware of the tractor in front of him due to the absence of any signage.
Following the incident, the tractor did not halt, as its driver continued on to an unknown location.
According to law enforcement, Bett suffered a significant laceration on his forehead, while two other adult females in the vehicle, along with the driver, experienced minor injuries.
The former minister was promptly transported to Awasi Catholic Hospital in stable condition and subsequently referred to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu for additional medical care.
Police arrived at the scene and towed Bett’s vehicle to the station for inspection.
Witnesses reported that the victims were in stable condition while receiving treatment at the hospital.
Bett began his career in the civil service after graduating, eventually becoming an Assistant Secretary at the Treasury in 1987.
He worked his way up, serving in various positions including Deputy State House Comptroller and State House Comptroller under President Daniel arap Moi from 1996 to 1998.
In 2002, Bett joined the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Raila Odinga. When LDP joined NARC, Bett coordinated its activities in the South Rift region, helping NARC make inroads in the traditionally KANU stronghold.
He was nominated to parliament in 2003 and chaired the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Land and Natural Resources.
Bett contested the Buret Constituency seat on an ODM ticket in 2007 and won.
He served as Minister for Roads from 2009 after the demise of Kipkalya Kones.
As Minister, he oversaw the rapid expansion of road infrastructure across the country, including the Thika Superhighway project.
Bett currently serves as the chairman of the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) after being appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He has visited over 70 countries and has business and political contacts in Australia, United States and United Kingdom.
