A dispute over ambulance charges in Baringo County has exposed a disconnect between Governor Benjamin Cheboi's claims of free services and residents' experiences of being forced to pay large sums.

• Residents report being charged between Sh5,000 and Sh9,000 for ambulance transfers, even for hospital-initiated referrals.
• Governor Benjamin Cheboi insists ambulance services are free for patients referred within the public health system, with charges only applying to self-requested transfers.
• This discrepancy leads to critical patients facing delays and families questioning if healthcare access is being rationed by ability to pay in Baringo.