A five-member committee has been established to oversee the reopening of Nakuru War Memorial Hospital, following an October 1 order from the Court of Appeal. The hospital, which had been closed by the Nakuru County Government on January 23, 2024, after a dispute over land ownership, saw the removal of over 300 staff members.
The final member of the committee was appointed by the Attorney General’s Office, with Senior State Counsel Prisca Adomeyon submitting the name of Peter Okombe to the Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Linah Akoth. In a letter, Adomeyon stated, “The AG has appointed Okombe to sit in the Interim Management Committee as per the order of the Court.”
The Court of Appeal Judges Mohamed Warsame, Weldon Korir, and Paul Gachoka had mandated the immediate reopening of the hospital under a joint management team led by the five-member committee. This team is responsible for overseeing hospital operations, managing employees, and dealing with suppliers.
The committee includes two members from the hospital’s private management and two from the Nakuru County Government.
“The AG and the land registry are directed to appoint one member to fill the committee,” the judges ruled.
The court further ordered that the chair of the committee will be one of the members selected from the hospital’s management.
The county government appointed County Secretary Samuel Mwaura and Executive Committee Health Roselyne Wanjiru to the committee.
The hospital appointed their directors; Dr Simon Mwangi and Roger Joslyn, to represent them in the committee.
By October 14, 2024, the AG had not submitted its nominee and Ms Akoth was forced to delay the reopening of the hospital.
The hospital stands on a 25-acre land in Milimani Estate within Nakuru County. It borders a public hospital, State House and a helipad.
The hospital’s management and the county were embroiled in a tussle over management and operation of the hospital.
However, after nine months of chaos, the parties signed a consent for it to be reopened under the joint management.
