Kenyatta Hospital makes sudden changes after rape reports

Kenyatta National Hospital whose section of staff was accused of raping new mothers at night at the facility has announced plans to beef up security, as the institution’s management continue with the investigations.

The Hospital’s Board of Directors on Monday, approved the addition of more private security guards after sexual assault claims by patients and urged the police to boost security at hospital.

"The board has with immediate effect approved the engagement of additional security complement from private security," chairman Mark Bor said in a statement on Monday.

On Monday morning, top Kenyatta National Hospital managers were questioned over claims of attacks on new mothers at the hospital. Those questioned by police include the chief security officer and other security officials.

A team of detectives handling the probe had also booked an appointment with the hospital CEO Lily Koros for questioning regarding the issue. The security officials told the team investigating the matter that no complaint had been lodged with them over the claims.

“There seems to be no complaint so far on these issues. We urge those affected to come to us to help us progress with the probe. Another team from the hospital was supposed to submit their preliminary report to the Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopas Mailu,” a detective working on the investigation said.

Dr Koros has promised to investigate the complaints though she has maintained the hospital has never received rape or harassment complaints from maternity patients.

On Friday last week, Dr Mailu gave the hospital’s management up to Monday (today) to report back to him with the findings of their internal investigations. Allegations of rape, attempted rape and sexual harassment first came to the fore on social media on Thursday where scores of mothers recounted harrowing tales of how they were accosted along dimly lit stairs and elevators with most victims pointing a finger at morgue attendants moving bodies at night.

“I hereby further order investigations into the matter; the KNH management and security agents will provide a report on the issue by Monday 22nd January 2018,” the CS said last Friday.

However, the facility CEO denied the allegations saying mortuary attendants use service lifts, which are separate from lifts used by patients and clients.

She said on Sunday night during an interview at that she was not wrong when she asked Kenyans to ignore reports that were not based on records and accused the media of overrating the story, merely picked from social media.

"This was in regards to the report that we had. I don't think I was wrong at that point when I said Kenyans should ignore the reports," she said.

"I am not dismissing it but right now we don't know whether it happened or not. I sit here as a mother and a woman before a CEO.

"It was not a denial. When the allegations came out, what we did was come together to see if there was any truth to them. We get reports of incidents on a day to day basis. Among those complaints, there has been none in my office on rape allegations. This is not to say that the allegations are unfounded."

Koros said they scanned through the report they had and did not find anything that pointed at rape.

"We have never received any allegations of rape," she said. "The allegations are in bad faith. We have written to the DCI to investigate and if there is any truth then action will be taken.