The Senate County Public Investments Committee has raised concerns over the ownership status of Garissa County Referral Hospital, following revelations that the facility is operating on land it neither owns nor is held by the county government.
This revelation came to light during a committee session, where lawmakers expressed alarm at the lack of proper documentation for public hospital properties. The Garissa case, they noted, may be just the tip of the iceberg.
The senators, who questioned Garissa Governor Nathif Jama over the matter, are now considering summoning officials from the Ministry of Lands and the National Land Commission (NLC) to clarify the legal status of public hospital land across all 47 counties. The committee is also pushing for a national audit of public hospital land ownership to prevent land grabbing and ensure security for ongoing and future healthcare investments.
In addition to the land concerns, the committee highlighted widespread structural and operational challenges plaguing the country’s health sector. These include a severe shortage of doctors and nurses, a lack of intensive care unit (ICU) and high-dependency unit (HDU) beds, and inadequate neonatal care facilities, such as incubators, which county officials from Garissa attributed to budgetary constraints.
“Land grabbing involving hospitals is a growing concern, especially in urban areas. If not addressed, it could stall healthcare expansion projects meant to serve millions of Kenyans,” said committee chair Godfrey Osotsi.
The situation at Garissa Hospital was described as dire, with lawmakers citing it as an example of poor coordination between county governments and national health agencies.
The committee is now urging both the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors to take immediate action to protect public hospital assets and improve working conditions for healthcare workers.
By
Gladys Mungai
