What is the current situation at Nakuru war memorial hospital?
Police officers and county askaris at Nakuru war memorial man the gate on January 23, 2024.
An empty parking lot, an empty waiting area and a heavily guarded gate manned by both Nakuru county enforcement officers and police officers; this is the current state of the Nakuru war memorial hospital.
Upon arrival at the gate, the officers donned in their respective uniforms are quick to ask you where you're headed.
Quickly thinking on my feet and wary of sharing that I am part of the media, I answer, "I have come to send off a loved one whose body lays in the morgue."
Nakuru county enforcement officers take guard inside Nakuru war memorial hospital on January 23, 2024.
Soon, I am granted permission into the hospital.
From entry, I am shocked at how empty the hospital is, from the parking lot to the waiting bay.
Efforts to get a comment from one of the staff members are futile as all door and service windows are locked.
Finally, a man, a doctor, emerges from one of the locked doors informing me that I am not in luck since no member of the staff can assist me.
A few minutes after talking to me, Dr. Ruto* shares, "I am a doctor at this facility and things are really looking grim for me. At the moment, the hospital has been taken over by staff from PGH Annex. "
Entrance to the radiology unit in Nakuru war memorial hospital locked on January 23, 2024.
When I ask him what this means for him, he shares, "It means that for now I am out of work and have to start handing in application letters to various health facilities, especially since the fate of this hospital is quite uncertain."
After this brief interaction, Dr. Ruto* scurries off and I am left alone yet again in the ghost town that is Nakuru War Memorial Hospital.
Soon, there's a long line of cars at the hospital's gate prompting the police officers to inquire their purpose of visiting the hospital grounds.
I come to learn that the only cars allowed into the premise are those used to ferry the bodies ,with the rest of the loved ones having to access the morgue on foot.
Families who have loved ones at Nakuru war memorial mortuary were allowed to get into the facility on foot on January 23, 2024.
As I get ready to leave the hospital grounds, I notice a lot of hearses leaving War Memorial hospital ferrying away the bodies.
Speaking on the uncertain state of affairs, David Mwangi shares, "I heard news of the sick getting dragged out of hospital beds and I had to rush over to check on my loved one who's in the ICU."
When I ask them of the arrangements made to transfer their loved one, David shares, " We are not sure yet but that is the probable outcome, since I am not sure he can be properly cared for in this facility.”
Related: Families asked to move patients from Nakuru war memorial as hospital's fate remains unknown
Mtaa Wangu has learnt that a team made up of police officers and county enforcement officers raided the facility in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, claiming to shut down the facility.
Evidence of what seems to have been a violent takeover can be seen in the CCTV cameras that were turned facing the wall, as if to ensure identities of those involved in the morning raid remains hidden.
A CCTV camera inside Nakuru war memorial hospital turned to face the wall on January 23, 2024.
At the time of publishing this article, advocates representing Nakuru war memorial hospital and the Deputy registrar environment and lands court Priscah Nyota were allowed access to the hospital for inspection, after obtaining a court order.
The findings will be presented before court this afternoon.