- The AG said the hospital must be reverted to the university and students allowed to train in line with the initial intention.
- In an internal memo addressed to all the staff members, KUTRRH Board chairperson Olive Mugenda said they have met to deliberate on the matter.
Image: FILE
Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital has assured its staff of support amid a dispute on the ownership status of the facility.
On Thursday, Attorney General Justin Muturi told the National Assembly Public Investment Committee on Governance and Education that the hospital was unprocedurally transferred to the Ministry of Health as a parastatal.
The AG said the hospital must be reverted to the university and students allowed to train in line with the initial intention.
"The Kenyatta University developed Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital, you cannot say you have taken it away and turned it into a parastatal," Muturi said.
In an internal memo addressed to all the staff members, KUTRRH Board chairperson Olive Mugenda said they have met to deliberate on the matter.
"In view of the recent publications both in print and electronic media regarding the status of KUTRRH, the Hospital Board of Directors met on Friday, 1st September, 2023 to review and deliberate on the facts surrounding the matter," she said.
"The Board appreciates the Management and Staff for their dedicated provision of services to the Kenyan public and the regional citizens in line with the Hospital's mandate as provided for under Legal Notice No. 4 of 2019."
The hospital encouraged all members of staff to continue discharging their duties diligently and remain focused on providing quality and patient-centred care.
Mugenda said the Board is in consultation with the ministry and other relevant government authorities for a conclusive resolution on the matter.
There has been a long-drawn ownership battle between the university management and the hospital locking out students who were forced to train at Kiambu County Hospital.
The courts have so far ruled that the land on which the hospital stands belongs to the university.
The AG said the legal notice No4 of 2019 that transferred the hospital to the state was irregular as it closed its eyes on many fundamental legal concerns.
"They have to go through compulsory acquisition which had not happened in this case. There are too many processes that have not been followed.
"Let us not allow this method of creating state cooperation, let us bring it to Parliament for proper public participation because Parliament has people's representative," Muturi said.