President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday morning fired former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo as the Chairman of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Board in what may believe to an action following revelations that award winning author Ken Walibora died at the hospital’s emergence room due to negligence.
President Kenyatta at the same time appointed George Opondo Ooko to take over from Gumbo in a gazette notice dated April 22,.
Ooko’s appointment will take effect from April 21, 2020, up to May 2, 2022.
The changes were made at a time when KNH has come under spotlight over its handling of emergency cases.
The facility’s management has struggled to explain the circumstances that led to the death of prolific author Ken Walibora who is said to have remained unattended for more than ten hours. Uhuru however did not fire his home boy the chief executive Dr Evans Kamuri who is in charge of day to day running of the facility unlike Gumbo who is a mere chairman of the board.
Gumbo, a former close ally of ODM Leader Rail Odinga, unsuccessfully vied for the Siaya gubernatorial seat but lost to the current Governor Cornel Rasanga in the 2017 elections after a controversial nominations.
The former Rarieda MP had been appointed in May 2019 for a three-year term which has now ended prematurely having served for a year.
