Kihika breaks silence on disputed War Memorial hospital

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and Commandant of the Kenya Military Academy, Major General John Nkoimo, use slingshots to disperse speedballs at Kabatini area in Bahati, Nakuru County, during the National Tree Planting Day on November 13, 2023. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has vowed to fight for the disputed Nakuru War Memorial Hospital.

Kihika said the county government would not entertain the private company, which moved to court laying claim over the facility established by the colonial government in 1921.

Speaking during tree planting in Bahati, the governor maintained that the 50-year lease extension held by the private company was a forgery.

"That hospital had been leased out over 100 years ago to treat world war veterans. When the lease expired, they went ahead to forge documents and continued to run the hospital," she said.

The county government took over the facility on October 28, but the private company moved to court and was given back control of the facility on November 7.

The governor said they are determined to recover the facility from the company through the court process.

"They went back to court, and we have no problem. The court allowed them back to the hospital, but we have not given up. We shall fight for that facility to the end," said Kihika.

She explained that the process was not initiated by her administration but by the previous leadership, which saw the need to have it, reverted to the public.

Kihika said her administration would do everything possible to protect public utilities across the county.

"We are doing this for the public interest. With this trend, I will work with the ward representatives even if it will cost us to make additional budget allocations to our legal department to fight these battles in court," said Kihika.

The governor noted that some of the county projects were being interfered with by litigious persons disrupting service delivery to residents.

"We had some people go to court over two boreholes in Kabatini. The boreholes are on public land. We shall not stop providing water to a majority just because of a few individuals with selfish interests," said Kihika.

Her sentiments were echoed by Bahati MP Irene Njoki, who said that public interest must be safeguarded at all costs.

"We have five people who have been going to court to oppose every development in this area, punishing the rest. We are the majority, and we shall not allow them to frustrate us," said Njoki.