Patients flee Moyale hospital as foreigners fight at Kenya-Ethiopia border

KENYA: Moyale District hospital was deserted Sunday after majority of patients fled from the institution following Saturday fighting between Ethiopia security agencies and members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) along the border.

Hours after the fighting, uniformed men armed with riffles stormed the hospital on Saturday morning and harassed both patients and staff.

The patients later fled from hospital citing fears of more attacks.

Moyale Hospital Medical Superintendent Kamau Mukui Sunday said only a few patients remained at the facility.

"Only two men and a woman are in the wards. Many patients have left," Dr Mukui said.

But Moyale Deputy County Commissioner John Cheruiyot maintained that the hospital is secure and enough security officers including the military are manning the border.

Mr Cheruiyot said police officers are guarding the hospital and normalcy was slowly resuming. He sought to assure locals that the area is safe.

He said the entry into the hospital by foreign armed men was still under investigation.

"We are assuring residents of security," Cheruiyot said.