Kitui's Kyuso Level 4 Hospital in Mwingi North was not closed to punish residents for their stand on jobs, a top county official said on Tuesday.
Health and Sanitation chief officer Richard Muthoka rejected claims that the impromptu closure on September 3 by medical superintended Daniel Misiani had a political motive. The facility resumed operations after one week.
“In my department, we don't have politicians as workers. Therefore, the decisions made cannot be political,” Dr Muthoka told a joint sitting of the county assembly Health and Labour committees.
The MCAs demanded to know why the facility was shut. Chairman Munyoki Mwinzi asked whether the closure was meant to settle political scores. He said about 10,000 residents rely on the hospital and they suffered during the closure.
But Muthoka was emphatic that the decision was meant to protect workers after leaflets emerged threatening non-native casuals.
Ikutha MCA Geoffrey Mwalimu took issue with Muthoka’s assertion. He said there was no justification for the action. Critically ill patients and other residents in a life-threatening state could not get medical care and no reason can justify that, he said.
In response, however, Muthoka said they assessed the prevailing situation and Dr Misiani had no option but to shut the facility even without consulting the police. He said the hospital was opened slightly a week later after DCI officers ruled out any threats to workers.
Before the decision, Kyuso residents, led by their MCA Stephen Musili, had rejected non-local casuals at the hospital demanding the jobs given to them. The said they had every right to protect jobs meant for them. Musili said temporary job opportunities in his ward that fall under the purview of the county government must, without exception, go to locals. He said locking them out not only unfair but also ungodly.
In a letter to workers, Misiani said, “Following threats posed by unknown entities to members of the staff, the county Health ministry has decided to close the facility, pending investigations.”
(Edited by F'Orieny)
