KENYA—The Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral, and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) has undergone significant leadership changes after the entire board, including senior management, was disbanded.
The announcement, made by State House, came shortly after Professor Olive Mugenda resigned as the board’s chairperson.
President William Ruto accepted Prof. Mugenda’s resignation and commended her for her notable contributions to the hospital’s growth and development.
“The entire KUTRRH board has been disbanded with immediate effect, and the process of reconstituting it has commenced,” stated Hussein Mohamed, the State House spokesperson.
The hospital’s CEO, Ahmed Dagane, has been placed on indefinite leave, and Dr. Zainab Gura has stepped in as the acting CEO.
These changes follow protests by medics and support staff that disrupted operations at the Level 6 facility, leaving hundreds of patients without critical services.
Scheduled surgeries and other essential medical procedures have been delayed, exacerbating the situation for those requiring immediate care.
Health workers at KUTRRH raised multiple grievances during the protests, including allegations of sexual harassment, excessive working hours, and lack of medical bill waivers for staff in critical care departments.
Dr. Onyiengo, one of the protesters, highlighted the toll these issues have taken on staff.
“The silence on these matters has emboldened perpetrators and caused untold suffering for victims, some of whom have experienced mental breakdowns and declining performance at work,” he stated during a demonstration on December 2.
The staff protests intensified after the board suspended CEO Ahmed Dagane, with workers demanding immediate intervention from the Ministry of Health.
In response, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa made additional leadership changes. She revoked the appointments of board members Gladys Ogallo and Kavinya Mwendwa through a gazette notice.
Isaac Kamau, who was recently named acting CEO by the board, has also been relieved of his duties and directed to report to the Ministry of Health for redeployment.
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