Kyuso Level 4 Hospital in Mwingi North subcounty of Kitui has been shut down indefinitely after a controversy over the hiring of non-local casual workers.
Hospital management on Tuesday closed the hospital citing concerns over the security of workers and sent all permanent workers home.
Kyuso residents recently rejected non-local casuals posted to the hospital by the county government saying the job should have gone to locals.
The 44 contested casual workers had their contracts terminated.
Medical superintendent Daniel Misiani issued the closure notice to all workers September 3.
“Following threats posed by unknown entities to members of the staff, the county Health ministry has decided to close the facility pending investigations,” the letter read.
The action comes on the heels of protests by residents led by their MCA Stephen Musili over the employment of foreigners at Kyuso Hospital.
The residents said they had every right to protect jobs that were meant for them.
The MCA told journalists that temporary job opportunities in his ward that fall under the purview of the county government must, without exception, go to locals.
Musili termed the locking out of locals from jobs at the hospital as unfair and ungodly.
“The people of Kyuso condemn this in the strongest terms possible and will rise against such evil acts whose perpetrators are well known,” Musili said.
In a story published by this newspaper on Wednesday, politician Ezekiel Muthami criticised the ward rep for allegedly inciting Kyuso residents to reject casuals hired to work at the facility
Muthami lost the race for Mwingi North parliamentary seat in 2017 on a Narc ticket.
Edited by R.Wamochie
