Union calls for investigation, arrest of unlicensed lab officer

Ministry of Health offices in Nairobi. [File,Standard]

The Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) has called for an investigation and arrest of a laboratory officer accused of practicing medical laboratory science without a valid licence.

The call comes days after the Ministry of Health directed the Kenya National Public Health Institute (NPHI) to strip Deputy Director for Laboratory Services Leonard Kingwara of his roles.

 In a January 19, 2026, letter, the ministry said Kingwara is not registered with the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB) and barred him from undertaking any laboratory functions. The letter was copied to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.

“Mr Leonard Kingwara is not registered or licensed with the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board within the meaning of sections 2, 19, and 20 of Cap 253A,” the letter stated.

“He shall not engage, directly or indirectly, in any activity constituting medical laboratory practice, including supervision, coordination, validation, forensic analysis, diagnostic testing, or professional representation.”

KNUMLO said Kingwara’s unlicensed practice exposes institutions and the public to serious regulatory, clinical, and legal risks.

 “Quackery in healthcare is not merely unethical—it is deadly and costly. No person should handle patients or samples without proper training, registration, and licensure,” said the union.

Kingwara, a long-serving public officer with 16 years’ experience, including a decade at the Ministry of Health, had been serving in roles that extended beyond his approved job group.

The union welcomed his removal, urging system-wide enforcement to identify and prosecute unlicensed personnel in national and county health facilities.