Concern as AG stays away from War Memorial Hospital committee sessions

The Attorney General is yet to participate in the ongoing plans to have War Memorial Hospital re-opened, a court has heard.

Days after the establishment of a committee to oversee the re-opening and running of the facility closed a year ago, the AG has not attended any of the meetings held.

While appearing before Court of Appeal Deputy Registrar Linah Akoth Friday, the committee told the court that a representative from the Attorney General’s office has not been participating in their meetings.

The revelation arose after the Deputy Registrar sought to know if the AG’s representative had been participating in their meetings. Nakuru County Secretary Samuel Mwaura said the AG representative has not appeared in any of their meetings.

Lawyer Kahiga Waitindi informed the court that he had reached out to State Counsel Prisca Adomeyon in an attempt to understand why they were not participating.

“She (Adomeyon) told me that they were acting for the AG on behalf of the Land Registrar who has a very peripheral role in the running and administration of the hospitals, so possibly we may not expect any participation from their end,” said Kahiga.

The Deputy Registrar said that she is only following what the Court of Appeal judges said having directed the AG to have a representative in the committee.

Judges Mohamed Warsame, Weldon Korir, and Paul Gachoka in October had ordered the immediate reopening of the hospital, under a joint management, headed by the five-member committee.

The three judges had ordered that after the hospital is reopened, the five-member community would temporarily manage the hospital and be in charge of employees and suppliers.

The judges had ruled that the five would comprise two members from the hospital’s private management and two from the county government.

Mwaura during the hearing informed the court of claims some products were missing in the pharmacy department adding that they didn’t have pharmacists on the list of committee members. He proposed that they form another committee to deal with the pharmacy aspect.

The court directed that two more people-pharmacists to be suggested by each committee.

“Each committee to submit a name to the joint secretary, joint secretary to submit to the chair of the committee as well so that he can be able to know the two people being added to the committee,” directed the Deputy Registrar.

The preparation of the inventory will be concluded on Monday next week and a report prepared. Thereafter the committee will have a meeting on November 20, 2024, at 10 am.

The committee will then appear before the court to report on the progress.