The County Government of Nakuru has successfully reclaimed the Nakuru War Memorial Hospital, which had been under the unlawful ownership of a private investor. Dr. Samuel Mwaura, Nakuru County Secretary, revealed that the hospital’s lease expired in 2021 and was never renewed, allowing the government to step in and retake control of the facility.
In a press statement, Dr. Mwaura confirmed that the county had resumed management of the hospital and custodianship of the associated public land, which had previously been leased to Nakuru War Memorial Hospital Limited. The county government’s intervention was prompted by a series of issues, including fraud, the disenfranchisement of the public, and disruptions to the operations of the Nakuru Provincial General Hospital Annex.
The lease for the 11.25-hectare land was originally issued for a 99-year term, effective from May 1, 1922, and expired in April 2021. In 2019, Nakuru War Memorial Hospital Limited’s efforts to extend the lease were denied by Nakuru County. The county government believed that the hospital, as a public facility, should remain in public hands.
The private entity had allegedly used forged payment certificates to obtain the lease extension.
“This amounted to a fraudulent acquisition of land, an issue which the County Government has interested the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI),” reveals Dr Mwaura.
Earlier this year, Nakuru County petitioned the Registrar of Lands to revoke the extended lease title, a request that was approved, and the degazettement was officially issued on May 19, 2023.
In a subsequent statement issued by the County Secretary, the County Government revealed that it had taken over operations at the Nakuru War Memorial and assured residents, patients, and relatives of patients to remain calm.
This evening, the Nakuru County Government took over management and patient care at the Nakuru War Memorial Hospital. The take-over process was undertaken by various technical members of staff from the County Government, who engaged the human resources at the war memorial amicably. This led to a seamless transition where the doctors attending to the various patients were consulted to ensure continuity in patient care.
In summary, there were a total of eighteen patients admitted under the care of several doctors.
As of 10.30 PM tonight, all patients at the War Memorial Hospital had been linked to their admitting doctors. The County Government assures all citizens that all the patients are in stable condition and under suitable medical care.
Citizens are asked to contact the Medical Superintendent at PGH Annex for further information regarding individual patients.
The County Government, under the leadership of Governor Susan Kihika, has taken a strong stance against land grabbers, as indicated during the signing of performance contracts by the Nakuru County Executive Committee members on September 14, 2023. This move is the first step in Nakuru’s efforts to reclaim illegally acquired lands.
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