The long-running leadership dispute at The Nairobi Hospital took a dramatic turn over the weekend after police arrested three senior board officials, pushing the governance battle into the criminal justice system.
Board chairman, Dr Job Obwaka, vice chairman and lawyer Samson Kinyanjui and former chairman, Dr Chris Bichange, were taken into custody on Saturday over allegations of falsifying the hospital’s members’ register and conflict of interest.
The officials were detained at Muthaiga and Pangani police stations and are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday.
Dr Bichage, who was reportedly abducted by security agents on Friday, was found later in Pangani, according to lawyer Cliff Ombeta. Mr Ombeta alleged on X that Dr Bichage was taken despite an existing anticipatory bail barring his arrest, in connection with a legal dispute over the hospital’s management.
The arrests mark the latest twist in a bitter struggle that has engulfed the prestigious private hospital, owned by the Kenya Hospital Association, which has operated for nearly 70 years. Rival board factions, government interests and medical professionals have been embroiled in disputes over leadership positions, financial management, and the legitimacy of the members’ register.
The crisis follows court orders halting the hospital’s 2025 annual general meeting after rival factions challenged both the register and the meeting’s convening process.
The Nairobi Hospital. The board of management accuses the police of continued harassment and intimidation despite seeking court intervention.
Photo credit: File | Nation
Allegations linked to a multi-billion-shilling financial scandal have further intensified the conflict.
Law Society of Kenya vice president Mwaura Kabata, representing the three officials, said the arrests came despite anticipatory bail orders from the High Court in Kibera.
He accused police of attempting to force the officials to resign to enable unnamed parties to seize control of the hospital.
“The intention is to coerce them to resign so that powerful interests can take control of the hospital and its properties,” Mr Kabata said.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) condemned the detention of Dr Obwaka, describing it as shocking and troubling.
The union noted that the 83-year-old obstetrician and gynaecologist was arrested at his clinic’s parking bay outside the NSSF Building, despite reportedly not being present during the alleged irregularities. The union also expressed concern that he was denied cash bail.
The arrests came two days after former Cabinet Secretary and Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi alleged that government-linked actors were attempting a forceful takeover of the hospital. Mr Muturi claimed that investigators had summoned directors and conducted raids at their homes as part of a coordinated effort to install proxies of the State on the board. “This is intimidation and abuse of power against a private institution,” he said.
Court records show that The Nairobi Hospital’s governance struggles have triggered multiple lawsuits over the board authority and representation, with cases repeatedly reaching the High Court and Court of Appeal. With senior officials now facing criminal charges, the fight for control of the iconic hospital has entered its most explosive phase yet.
