Senator Karanja wants Governor Kihika impeached over War Memorial Hospital takeover saga

Addressing the press on Wednesday, the senator termed the governor ‘incompetent and inhumane’ for allegedly sabotaging health operations which have led to the loss of lives in the hospital while in contempt of a court order.

She says that Kihika ordered county officers to raid the facility thereby leading to disruptions which hindered medical care, as a result, patients died.

“Instead of the governor implementing any plans for the War Memorial Hospital facility, she closes it, being the only hospital which meets international standards equivalent to Nairobi and the Aga Khan Hospital,” she said.

“As the Senator of Nakuru County and the deputy Majority leader of the Senate, I strongly condemn the attack on the hospital by the county. This shows we have a governor who is so inhumane and never follows the rule of law and never respects the court.”

The Senate’s Deputy Majority leader further claimed that Kihika had laid off over 500 health workers in July and replaced them with incompetent ones.

Karanja also blamed the governor for the disruptions affecting Mai Mahiu Hospital, Naivasha Hospital, Gilgil and Njoro facilities noting that her actions have jeopardised the health sector in the county and also led to the death of renowned Mau-Narok Sacco chairperson, David Kimani.

“What Nakuru residents have experienced since Friday 19, after the arrest of the doctors of WMH, it is something that has never been anywhere in the world and we can never forgive the governor,” she said. 

“Sadly, a lot of people have died since October 28, 2023, following the disruptions of War Memorial Hospital. The chairman of Mau-Narok Sacco, David Kimani died this morning over the forceful takeover of the War Memorial by county askaris under the instructions of the governor to evacuate all the patients and medical staff.”

The Nakuru War Memorial Hospital management and the Nakuru County government have been embroiled in a tussle over the 25-acre piece of land.

In October last year, the Nakuru County government took over the management of the hospital on  grounds that the management had forged documents.

Last week, patients at the hospital were forcefully transferred to the Nakuru Provisional General Hospital Annex Wing following the dispute.

The county government had sought orders to take over the hospital in 2023 but the court halted the process. The county however began the takeover process in 2024 with county askaris reportedly raiding the hospital.