A faction of the Nairobi Hospital
Board of Management, led by Prof. Herman Manyora, has insisted that it now
holds the legitimate leadership of the Kenya Hospital Association (KHA).
In a statement on Friday, the group declared
that Dr. Barcley Onyambu was lawfully removed as Chairman following a board
resolution passed on June 30, 2025.
The faction stated that the Board
convened a Special Meeting at 9:30 a.m. that day, during which a unanimous
resolution was passed to remove Dr. Onyambu from the chairmanship and
immediately elect Prof. Manyora as the new Chairperson of the Board.
The group maintains that the meeting
and resulting decisions were fully in accordance with the Articles of
Association governing the hospital and that all procedural requirements, including
quorum and voting thresholds, were met.
“Dr. Barcley Onyambu was lawfully
removed from the position of Chairman and Prof. Herman Manyora was duly elected
in his place,” the statement read.
“Prof. Manyora is now fully vested with
the mandate, authority, and responsibilities of the office of Chairperson of
the Board and is legally entitled to discharge all functions attendant to the
role.”
According to the Manyora-led
faction, Dr. Onyambu declined to relinquish his position, prompting the matter
to be taken to the High Court. On July 3, the Court issued interim conservatory
orders affirming the resolutions of the meeting and restraining Dr. Onyambu,
the Chief Executive Officer, and the Company Secretary from taking any actions
that interfere with the new leadership’s mandate.
The court barred them from convening
or presiding over any board meetings, retreats, or similar governance
activities pending further directions, emphasising that any contravention of
the orders would constitute contempt of court.
“This Hospital is bleeding, and
leadership is where it begins,” said one board member aligned with the Manyora
faction.
“We are facing resistance from a
group that feels entitled, but we are here legally. The meeting had a quorum.
The court has upheld it. We are asking stakeholders to support this change for
the hospital’s future.”
The faction raised alarm over what
they termed a worsening financial and governance crisis, citing last year’s
deficit of over Sh1.2 billion.
“This is not just a power struggle.
The hospital is in danger. If the bleeding is not stopped, we will be looking
at collapse,” another member added.
They also addressed criticisms
questioning the legitimacy of the meeting, noting that the Companies Act and
the hospital’s governing documents allow any board member to call for a meeting
if a quorum is met.
“The Company Secretary has no power
to approve or postpone board meetings. That power lies with the Board,” a
member emphasized.
Despite the confidence expressed by
the Manyora camp, the opposing faction led by Dr. Barcley Onyambu issued a firm
rebuttal the same day.
In a cautionary statement dated July
3, 2025, Dr. Onyambu dismissed the claims of his removal and the subsequent
election of Prof. Manyora, calling them false and misleading. He said no such
meeting took place and labelled the circulated letter purporting to announce
new leadership as “fake.”
“We wish to categorically state that
no board meeting took place on the date alleged in the letter, and therefore no
changes to the Board leadership occurred as claimed,” Onyambu said.
He further criticized the use of a
letterhead titled “The Nairobi Hospital Convention Center,” saying it was a
fraudulent attempt to mislead stakeholders. “The Kenya Hospital Association
trades as ‘The Nairobi Hospital’, and not under any other name. Any
communication using a different identity is a fabrication,” he said.
Dr. Onyambu also clarified that all
official communication concerning board matters must come from the office of
the Company Secretary and urged stakeholders and the public to disregard any
unofficial messages.
As the two camps maintain parallel
narratives, the dispute now lies squarely in the hands of the courts, which are
expected to provide a final interpretation of the legality of the meeting and
the board resolutions.
In the meantime, both sides continue to appeal for calm among hospital staff, patients, and stakeholders, even as concern grows over the potential impact of the governance conflict on operations and service delivery at one of Kenya’s most prestigious healthcare institutions.
