President William Ruto has pledged to safeguard The Nairobi Hospital from what he described as attempts by “conmen, fraudsters and charlatans” to compromise the institution, affirming his commitment to ensure it continues serving Kenyans effectively.
Speaking in Mt. Elgon, Bungoma County, on Tuesday, President Ruto said senior hospital officials had approached him for intervention following alleged attempts to disrupt the hospital’s governance.
“Senior doctors, senior professionals from Nairobi Hospitals approached me to save Nairobi Hospital from conmen, fraudsters and charlatans who wanted to expropriate it. Nairobi Hospital is a premier medical institution that serves the region. There is no way I am going to allow Nairobi Hospital to be taken hostage by fraudsters,” he stated.
The President confirmed that legal action has been initiated against those implicated in the alleged irregularities.
“I have instructed with clarity that all those who are involved in fraudulent activities in Nairobi Hospital will be removed, taken to court, charged and Nairobi Hospital is going to serve the people of Kenya. We are going to stand with Nairobi Hospital. It is an institution that serves the Republic of Kenya and we are going to defend its right to exist and we are going to stop at nothing,” he added.
The statements come after Dr. John Obwaka, a consultant and director at the Kenya Hospital Association (KHA), Board Vice-Chairman Samson Kinyanjui, director Valery Gaya, and former director Chris Bichange were arrested and charged.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) alleges that the directors received substantial payments from an insurance agency contracted by the hospital’s governing association, constituting a conflict of interest and unlawful receipt of benefits. Additionally, they are accused of failing to comply with statutory financial reporting requirements, including submitting the hospital’s 2022–2024 financial statements to the Registrar.
The situation has ignited public debate over Nairobi Hospital’s ownership. Addressing concerns, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale clarified that the hospital is owned by the Kenya Hospitals Association and registered as a company limited by guarantee, meaning it is member-owned with no shareholders. Duale emphasized that this structure makes the facility incapable of being acquired or privatised, and noted that the President of Kenya has traditionally served as its patron, underscoring its national and regional significance.
The controversy has drawn political attention, with the United Opposition claiming that President Ruto seeks a stake in the hospital claims he has refuted. The unfolding developments highlight ongoing tensions over governance, accountability, and the protection of premier health institutions in Kenya.
