Professor Olive Mugenda has resigned as the board chair of Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) after protests emerged on Monday.
According to a press statement from State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed THIS EVENING, President William Ruto accepted her resignation
In the statement, President Ruto disbanded the entire KUTRRH Board with immediate effect and the process of reconstituting it commenced.
“President William Ruto has received and accepted the resignation of Professor Olive Mugenda as the Chairperson of the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral, and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) Board, with immediate effect,” stated Mohammed.
The State House Spokesperson further noted that the CEO, Ahmed Dagane, has been directed to proceed on indefinite leave.
Dr Zainab Gura has been appointed as the Acting CEO of KUTRRH.
This is after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has threatened a nationwide strike in solidarity with the striking staff at the Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH).
Speaking in Mombasa, KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako demanded that the concerns of the nurses, who form the majority of the hospital’s workforce, be addressed promptly. Panyako also called for the immediate dissolution of the KUTRRH Board, accusing its chair, former Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Prof. Olive Mugenda, of mismanaging the hospital and overstepping her authority.
Panyako criticized Mugenda for actions such as directly registering workers, sending them on leave, and halting the issuance of medical insurance cover, which he argued were outside her remit as Board chair. He further alleged that Mugenda had orchestrated the removal of former CEO Ahmed Dagane, despite his recognition as the best CEO among government health facilities in the previous year. Panyako demanded the board’s immediate dissolution, starting with Mugenda, in order to restore proper management at KUTRRH.
The ongoing strike, which began on December 3, was sparked by complaints about poor staff morale, a toxic work environment, and stagnation in job progression.