Vandals ground Nyeri’s Beyond Zero mobile clinic

A mobile clinic donated by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta to Nyeri County through her Beyond Zero Campaign has been grounded by vandals who stole crucial components of the vehicle.

The criminals reportedly stole the van’s alternator and a starter last Monday, only a few days after it was parked at Mt Kenya Hospital in the posh and highly guarded Ring Road area of Nyeri town.

There were conflicting reports on the vandalism. While some sources close to The Standard claimed the vehicle lost components estimated at Sh253,000,  county government representatives said only batteries, alternator and the starter, all estimated at about Sh150,000, were stolen.

Surprisingly, Nyeri Central OCPD Charles Rotich said no such theft had been reported to the police.

However, the County’s Executive for Health Charles Githinji said the matter had already been reported to the police and investigations had started.

“The information is true. The vehicle was discovered vandalised on Monday by a driver who had gone to pick it at the Mt Kenya Hospital,” said Dr Githinji.

He said a private security company that is in charge of protecting the hospital has offered to compensate for the damage, and has launched internal investigations over the theft.

Githinji however said the county government plans to buy the parts before the security company makes its compensates so as to ensure the vehicle is back on the road as soon as possible.

Various county officers, including Stephen Mwaniki, of Nyeri County Assembly’s Health Committee chairman, said they were unaware of the vandalism.

He added: “In the next two months, the county government has committed to employ eight nurses who will be serving in the vehicle”.

A source who talked to The Standard said the vehicle was parked at the county government headquarters in Nyeri town before it was moved to Mt Kenya Hospital.

“We believe it was moved to the hospital, which is in a quiet area, and which is not frequented by people after questions were raised over why it was grounded,” said the source.