Landlord Wants Hospital Auctioned, Claims Sh8.4 million In Rent Arrears From County Govt.

George Wainaina, the proprietor of the building that hosts Kenneth Matiba Eye and Dental Hospital in Kenol wants it auctioned over Sh8.4 million rent arrears. He claimed Murang’a County Government has failed to pay him rent since February.

Wainaina said that in the first instalment of February, March and April, he was paid Sh2.4 million of the total Sh3.6 million. He said balance of Sh1.2 million was not cleared.

Wainana added that he is yet to be paid rent of the other months from May to August accumulating to Sh8.4 million.

In a letter addressed to the area governor dated August 17, Wainaina said he will be heading to court to claim his dues and repossess the building.

“The county government has not been settling rent on time. This has put me at logger heads with the bank where I acquired a loan facility to finance the premises. My efforts to recover Sh7.2 million that has been in arrears for 2 quarters in 2015 were thwarted after county lawyers argued that he cannot auction a government. They always send me to the Finance department where I find people who ask for Kickbacks before paying rent.” Wainaina said.

Wainaina added he will seek to have the Murang'a County leadership compelled to settle dues for whole lease that runs for 5 years since Aug 1, 2014 or if push comes to shove, he will be seeking orders for an auction.

Meanwhile, Murang'a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria has denied these claims by saying that the hospital has an active lease that is paid quarterly.

“That hospital was launched in May and it has so far seen over 15,000 patients. It is the only specialist hospital in the region offering eye and dental services at very subsidised rates. As a government, we first needed to address the need and bridge the gap of offering the very much needed medical services. The only delay may have been occasioned by the government financial year transition and the new budget," he said.

The Governor said it is sad that the landlord is allowing politics into a very sensitive area. He added that the hospital will be moved to a more permanent ground on government land in Kenol.

The hospital has been ridded in numerous controversies over its viability.

Late April this year, Murang’a County Public Service Board turned down requests by the management of Kenneth Matiba Hospital to hire radiographers and opticians, a move they claimed compromised the quality of service. The officers asked Wa Iria to intervene when he inspected the eye unit ahead of its official opening.

“All the dental equipment have been fixed but we are awaiting for the availability of a radiographer,” said Dr. Stephen Irungu of the dental unit.