Criminal lawyer Cliff Ombeta has sharply criticised a government statement addressing the ongoing leadership dispute at The Nairobi Hospital, accusing authorities of attempting to mislead the public about events surrounding the crisis.
Ombeta’s remarks came shortly after Hussein Mohamed released a statement on Monday explaining the government’s involvement in the governance dispute affecting the hospital.
In the statement, State House said William Ruto had stepped in after appeals from stakeholders, including doctors, who raised concerns about governance and operational challenges at the facility.
However, Ombeta dismissed the explanation, saying he had been closely involved in the matter for more than a year and had witnessed what he described as pressure and intimidation surrounding the hospital’s leadership.
“How foolish do you think we are?” Ombeta wrote in a strongly worded reaction. “I have been in this issue from February 2025, step by step.”
The lawyer alleged that the dispute involved a series of actions directed at the hospital’s leadership, including phone calls to the board chairperson, threats, and what he described as forced resignations allegedly conducted at government offices.
“The calls to the chair, the threats both calls and physical, the forced resignations at State House and Harambee House, the DCI threats and visits,” he said, suggesting that the events surrounding the dispute were far more complex than portrayed in the government statement.
Ombeta concluded his remarks with a direct challenge to officials who issued the statement, writing: “You cannot shame the shameless.”
The lawyer did not provide additional details or evidence to support the allegations in his public statement.
The response comes amid heightened scrutiny over the management crisis at Nairobi Hospital, which is owned by the Kenya Hospital Association.
The institution has recently faced internal disputes involving board leadership, governance issues and allegations of financial irregularities.
The government’s earlier statement maintained that its involvement was aimed at safeguarding the stability of the hospital and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services for Kenyans.
State House also clarified that Nairobi Hospital remains a private institution run by the Kenya Hospital Association, though the dispute has attracted national attention due to the hospital’s critical role in Kenya’s healthcare system.
The unfolding row has sparked debate in legal and medical circles, with observers now watching closely to see whether the allegations and counterclaims surrounding the hospital’s leadership will lead to further investigations or legal battles.