Mission hospital row takes new turn

A judge has denied ordering the eviction of workers from St Mary's Mission Hospitals in Nairobi and Nakuru.

Justice Silah Munyao of the Environment and Lands Court in Nakuru yesterday said he only allowed Catholic nuns from the Assumption Sisters to forcibly gain entry into the hospitals in Lang'ata, Nairobi and Elementaita in Nakuru.

Justice Munyao issued the orders in November 2017, after the sisters successfully filed an application in court seeking to take over the two facilities.

“I have not issued an order of eviction. What I have and what the court allowed was an application to break in, issued on November 23,” said the judge.

Court orders

The court had directed police officers in Lang’ata and Gilgil police stations to provide security to Assumption Sisters as they entered the facilities.

The nuns then stormed the facility in Lang’ata and evicted workers. They, however, failed to take over St Mary’s Mission Hospital in Elementaita after workers moved to the industrial court and obtained orders.

The nuns, through their lawyer Wanja Wambugu, then moved to court and filed a contempt case against Inspector General of Police, Nakuru County Police Commandant and the Officer Commanding Police Station Gilgil for not executing court orders.

The officers, in their reply, said they were ready to execute the orders until another order from the Industrial Court was served.

The court yesterday ruled that the orders allowing sisters to forcibly enter the facilities and the orders from the Industrial Court were separate.

Justice Munyao said the order allowing the nuns to enter the hospitals did not include evicting workers, which the Industrial court had barred.

Instead, the court ruled that once the nuns gained entry into the hospitals, all workers would remain but take instructions from them.