KNH explains why murder suspect was still at the hospital despite being discharged in January

The Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) management has spoken following the shocking Thursday afternoon death of a male patient inside Ward 7B, an eerily similar incident to another fatality that occurred in the same ward just months ago.

In a detailed statement issued Friday, KNH CEO Dr. William Sigilai confirmed that the main suspect in Thursday's incident - since identified as Kennedy Kalombotole - was, in fact, a former patient who had long been discharged, but was still residing at the facility due to a string of bureaucratic, logistical, and humanitarian complications.

According to Dr. Sigilai, the man - described as homeless, with no known relatives or verified identity - was first admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in November 2022.

After being stabilized, he was transferred to the general ward, but multiple efforts by the hospital to identify him - including fingerprint matching and public appeals via social media- proved futile.

Eventually, in June 2024, the hospital said it secured a home for him, but that reprieve was short-lived.

Kalombotole was readmitted to KNH in December 2024, and though he was declared fit for discharge in January 2025, the home declined to take him back “for unknown reasons.”

Dr. Sigilai insists that the hospital had no intention of hosting Kalombotole indefinitely, but that due to the lack of any viable alternative accommodation and a pending advisory from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the hospital was forced to allow him to remain within its walls.

“We emphasize that the suspect had been discharged, and the Hospital did not intend or desire to host him indefinitely. However, in the absence of alternative options and pending direction from investigative agencies, we had no choice but to continue with his stay in the Hospital," he stated.

The suspect’s relevance to an earlier incident in Ward 7B - where another patient, Gilbert Kinyua, was found with his throat slit - had already raised alarm.

According to Dr. Sigilai, the DCI had previously flagged the man as a person of interest in Kinyua’s death, advising the hospital to hold him while investigations continued.

Now, following the death of a second patient - who had been visited by a relative shortly before he was found unresponsive with a deep neck wound - the suspect has been arrested.

“A postmortem examination will be scheduled to determine the exact cause of the patient's death. KNH continues to fully cooperate with the DCI and all relevant investigative bodies and will comply with any recommendations that arise from their findings,” stated Dr. Sigilai.

“KNH extends its heartfelt condolences to the patient's family, friends, and loved ones. The hospital will provide further updates as more information becomes available from the investigative authorities.”