NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 17 – President William Ruto has pledged that the government will take all necessary steps to restore The Nairobi Hospital to its status as one of Kenya’s leading healthcare institutions, amid a widening governance and legal crisis that has engulfed the facility.
Speaking during a tour of the Western region on Tuesday the President warned that no individual or group would be allowed to “hold it hostage,” as he urged decisive action against any exploitation of the hospital for personal gain.
His remarks underline growing political and legal scrutiny around the institution’s management amid ongoing court cases.
According to a statement from State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, the President’s involvement follows formal petitions from a broad group of stakeholders — including doctors, patients and members of the Kenya Hospital Association (KHA) — who raised deep concerns about internal leadership disputes, governance challenges and mounting litigation that threatens the hospital’s operations.
Mohamed explained that Ruto’s role stems both from his capacity as President and as Patron of the Kenya Hospital Association, a position he assumed in 2023. The intervention seeks to foster dialogue between disputing parties and safeguard the institution’s service delivery.
State House briefings indicate that the disputes involve disagreements over membership and board elections, alleged conflicts of interest, disputed leadership decisions and unresolved internal wrangles that have spilled into the courts.
The governance crisis intensified when Dr. Job Obwaka, the hospital’s Board Chairman, and three other directors were charged in Milimani Law Courts with offences relating to alleged conflicts of interest and failing to file company financial statements with the Registrar of Companies. The charges stem from alleged financial irregularities linked to contracts and benefits received during their time on the board.
The accused, including Obwaka, have denied the charges as the matter continues to unfold in court. Their appearance has drawn widespread attention, with some senior doctors urging authorities to exonerate Obwaka, arguing that internal hospital issues should not detract from patient care and institutional stability.
Amid the political and legal storm, The Nairobi Hospital has issued a notice to reassure patients, staff and stakeholders that clinical services remain uninterrupted and that daily operations are stable and fully operational.
Board Chairman Barcley Onyambu affirmed that the hospital continues to provide medical care and support services across all departments, underscoring the institution’s resilience during the governance challenge.
The hospital’s management highlighted established governance frameworks, including long-standing operational structures guided by the Kenya Hospital Association’s Articles of Association, which have historically governed oversight and accountability.
The President’s intervention has generated mixed reactions. While State House has defended Ruto’s role as a necessary effort to protect healthcare services and strengthen governance, some critics have raised concerns about overt political involvement in an institution traditionally treated as independent.
Questions about whether the government is seeking to expand influence over private healthcare management have circulated, though Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has dismissed claims of government takeover.
Meanwhile, analysts point out that the Nairobi Hospital saga reflects broader systemic challenges in Kenya’s health sector, including debates over governance, accountability and the relationship between public policy and private healthcare delivery — issues that have previously surfaced in national debates around healthcare reforms and the Social Health Authority (SHA) system introduced to replace the erstwhile National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
President Ruto’s administration has in recent years championed several reforms aimed at tightening regulation and combating fraud in the health sector, including enforcement actions against facilities implicated in fraudulent billing and mismanagement under SHA policies. These moves are part of a broader strategy to strengthen healthcare quality and transparency nationwide.
As legal proceedings continue and the government’s mediation efforts progress, stakeholders — including medical professionals, patients and health policy watchers — will be monitoring how the Nairobi Hospital crisis evolves.
The outcome could have significant implications for the future governance of one of East Africa’s most prominent healthcare institutions and signal broader trends in the relationship between state power and private sector autonomy in Kenya’s health sector.