Reopening of War Memorial Hospital stalls over Sh2.3 million bill

The reopening of War Memorial Hospital in Nakuru has stalled over Sh2.3 million electricity and water bills.

The bill allegedly accumulated since January, when the hospital was shut down.

Hospital Director Simon Mwangi informed the Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Lina Akoth that the government has demanded the payment of the bills.

Dr Mwangi said the bill had accumulated, even though the hospital had remained shut for the last 12 months.

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He said the lack of electricity has also delayed the inventory process to assess the damage on hospital items after the Nakuru county government took over and shut down the hospital.

“Some of the hospital machines can only be assessed if the electricity is restored and we ask the county government to cooperate and ensure the process of reopening is smooth,” he said.

Mwangi told the court on Tuesday that the process of reopening the hospital under the joint management of the private developers, county government, and national government has been slow.

He noted that the hospital needs a gate and a burning chamber to dispose of waste.

The Hospital Director said he was ready to meet other stakeholders Thursday to discuss the way forward.

Roger Joslyn, the chair of a five member committee, set in place by the Court of Appeal in October 2024, to oversee the hospital’s reopening, said a meeting scheduled for December 13, 2024 did not materialise.

“The County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura did not attend because of illness and the CEC health only attended but we did not do much,” said Joslyn.

He, however, said that all the members signed an inventory and agreed on what was captured in it.

Mwaura confirmed the status of the hospital and promised to attend the Thursday meeting.

Akoth urged the parties to speed up the reopening process, saying that nothing much has been done since October 1, 2024, when the court issued orders.

“The parties need to meet and agree on the implementation matrix. They need to do more than what they are doing now to ensure the hospital is operational,” she said.

The Nakuru county government took over the hospital, chased away over 300 staff, and closed it on January 23, 2024, following a dispute over ownership of the 25-acre land, where it stands.

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

The committee members include Joslyn, Mwangi, Mwaura, CEC Roselyne Wanjiru, and Peter Okombe from the Attorney General. Joslyn is the chair.

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

The hospital, located in Milimani Estate within Nakuru county, borders a public hospital, the State House, and a helipad.

Since the county government invaded the hospital, took over management, and closed it, the private management and the county have engaged in back and forth over the reopening of the facility.

However, after nine months of chaos, the parties signed a consent for it to be reopened under joint management.

The case will be mentioned on January 20, 2025.