Cherargei pressures senate committee to provide answers on murdered KNH patient
Nandi County Senator Samson Cherargei is pushing the Senate to provide answers on the gruesome murder of a patient at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Cherargei on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, sought answers from the Standing Committee on Health regarding the gruesome murder of Gilbert Kinyua, who lost his life under unclear circumstances while admitted in ward 7B at KNH.
The lawmaker wants the committee to explain the circumstances that led to the murder of Kinyua in the unfortunate incident that occurred on Friday, February 7, 2025.
Cherargei on KNH security
Cherargei expressed his concerns after the murder occurred at the health facility despite the presence of private security guards, police officers, health workers, and other patients within the ward.
“The committee should state why the management of the hospital denied the family the opportunity to have a caretaker from Kinyua’s family stay in the ward with the patient, and yet his medical (neurological) condition and state of being immobile required close care and assistance, including feeding,” Cherargei was quoted in a statement shared by Parliament of Kenya via social media.
Cherargei also questions why the nurses attending to the deceased did not discover and report the murder in time.
“The committee should also state why nurses attending to him did not discover and report the murder timeously, noting that the patient required distinct care due to the nature of his medical condition, and provide details of the normal routine followed by nurses and doctors attending to a patient in need of critical care like Kinyua,’’ Senator Cherargei stated.
He further requested the committee to explain why the referral facility remains crowded and disorderly in the wards and service areas, questioning whether this might have contributed to difficulty in managing crowds and inhibited the nursing station from noticing suspicious persons, and state any actions in place to mitigate the situation.
Moreover, Cherargei wants the committee to inform the Senate of the current security arrangements at KNH, with specific focus on the safety of the more than 1,800 patients admitted at the hospital, and address allegations that CCTV cameras were switched off during the incident, outlining any actions taken to bring any culpable personnel to book.
KNH’s response
In a statement on Sunday, February 9, 2025, KNH acting CEO Dr William K Sigilai said there was no evidence suggesting an outsider had entered the hospital to commit the crime.
“Let me state that at this point, we actually do not have evidence that anybody walked in and committed the said crime. We know for a fact the patient was murdered in the ward,” Sigilai said in the statement.
Acknowledging that the incident happened at the KNH ward, Sigilai stated that they have handed over the case to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and have since launched an internal investigation to determine the facts surrounding the incident.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the patient’s family during this difficult time. The hospital is working closely with law enforcement authorities and has launched an internal investigation to determine the facts surrounding this incident,” Sigilai said in the statement.
“We are committed to providing the family with all the necessary support and to supporting ongoing investigations surrounding the incident.”
