Nairobi Hospital board names chairman to replace Simba

Nairobi Hospital has replaced John Simba with Joseph Kigwe as board chairman following protracted leadership wrangles linked to multi-billion shilling expansion works at the private medical facility.

A notice to members by the the Kenya Hospitals Association (KHA), which owns the hospital, said Dr Simba had retired.

“Mr Joseph Kigwe takes over from Dr John Simba who has retired as chairman and member of the board of management of the Kenya Hospital Association,” a notice to members.

But sources say that Dr Simba was pushed out by his fellow board members in the wake of battles to control the hospital over several months.

The expansion includes construction of a 12-storey building, a convention centre with a 400-seat auditorium and one of the region’s biggest laundry.

The hospital makes more than Sh1.5 billion in annual profits with sales in excess of Sh10 billion.

After firing CEO Gordon Odundo, KHA sacked the entire board chaired by Dr Simba on May 15 and replaced it with another, whose first order of business was to select a chair.

Dr Simba, however, went to court to prevent the new board from taking control of the hospital.