War memorial saga: Court orders reopening of hospital, with conditions
MCA Keringet Ward ,William Mutai, rewrites the War Memorial hospital name with a marker pen on October 9, 2024.
Eight months after operations were halted at Nakuru War Memorial hospital, new developments hint that the hospital will soon be reopened under a joint management of five committee members.
This move comes after a ruling delivered on October 1, 2024 by the Court of Appeal noting that the hospital should be reopened immediately under shared responsibility of two nominated representatives from the Nakuru War Memorial hospital and Nakuru county government, while the Attorney General’s office and that of the Nakuru land registrar will jointly have one nomination.
As the managerial dispute of the hospital went on, more than seven court orders were violated by the Nakuru county administration, stagnating the reopening of the hospital.
So far, the County government who are the applicants have nominated the County Secretary Samuel Mwaura and the Health Executive Roseline Mungai, whereas the hospital has nominated Roger Joslyn who will be the chairperson and Dr Mwangi Watene one of the directors as committee members.
The nominee from the Land registrar and Attorney General are yet to be submitted.
Menengai West ward MCA Isaak Rottok cutting the chains used to lock the gate at Nakuru War Memorial hospital on October 9, 2024.
In a dramatic turn of events, on Wednesday, October 9, a section of members of Nakuru County Assembly stormed the Nakuru War Memorial hospital demanding it be opened following the order issued by the Court of Appeal.
To gain entry, the MCAs who had turned up in large numbers, cut the chains of the main gate, before they started a clean up exercise by slashing grass and clearing bushes.
MCAs engaged in a clean up activity at Nakuru War Memorial hospital by slashing off the overgrown grass at the facility on October 9, 2024.
The Majority Leader, William Mutai, MCA Keringet Ward, said that they visited the hospital in the capacity of their oversight role, to ensure that the hospital is reopened and services resumed as ordered by the court.
Faulting the county government through the executive for its ignorance and violating court orders, Menengai West ward MCA Isaak Rottok, noted that individuals are sabotaging the War memorial hospital so that the PGH private wing remains operational in order to get more clients and yet it is very expensive.
“We want the county to respect the court order and let the hospital be operational. Our referral hospital has been turned into cash cow to some individuals. We plead with the National government to step in and conduct forensic audit,” he says.