Clashes erupt during opening of Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital

A violent clash broke out between Kariobangi and Korogocho residents on Friday during the official opening of the Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital in Korogocho.

The ceremony, led by Governor Johnson Sakaja, turned chaotic over disputes regarding the hospital's location and its recent transition from the national government to county administration.

The chaos erupted when Kariobangi residents stormed the event, claiming the hospital was wrongfully placed under Ruaraka Constituency instead of Embakasi North, where Kariobangi North is located. They alleged this incident is part of a series of projects being moved away from Kariobangi North due to political rivalries.

Jafan Ouma, a Kariobangi resident, recounted how he went to pick up his son from school and got caught up in the fracas.

"The police roughed me up together with the boys from Korogocho and left me with injuries all over my body," Ouma claimed.

"There are so many people in hospitals as we speak sustaining injuries. I was just picking up my son from school and was standing somewhere before the police pounced on me," he added.

The Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital, with a capacity of 548 beds, was recently transferred to the county government and is now one of the largest healthcare facilities in the country. Despite the transition, the hospital has become a point of contention, resulting in the fracas.

Robert Ogola, another Kariobangi resident, asserted that the local Member of the County Assembly (MCA) initiated the violence. He emphasised that ongoing political conflicts were causing hardship for the residents.

"Projects are not coming to Kariobangi because of their beef, so the people are the ones caught in between. They have destroyed the windows. We are not fighting for our MCA but for the people," Ogola stated.

The newly opened Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital in Korogocho, Nairobi County. (County)

Fatuma Hassan, a Korogocho resident, blamed Kariobangi residents for the violence, accusing them of being instigated by a politician from the area.

"We all came here in the morning to attend the opening ceremony but these young boys stormed in here and started causing a scene. The hospital is not even open yet but all the windows are now broken. It does not matter which constituency this hospital is in, it is going to serve everyone of us here," she said.

She highlighted that the new facility would ease congestion at Mama Lucy Hospital and reduce travel distance for residents, making it a beneficial addition for all neighbouring areas.

Habib Omar, a lead social activist from Kariobangi, commented on the controversy surrounding the hospital's transition from the national to the county government.

"From the onset, the only concern of the residents is if the hospital will be able to serve us all well and the services will not be paralysed like we are seeing in Mama Lucy. This hospital will help ease the congestion at Mama Lucy Hospital, so it does not matter if it is the national or the county government which will run it," Habib said.

He condemned the violence that occurred, noting the need for peaceful dialogue. "It is very unfortunate that there was violence on such a day. The Kariobangi area MCA stormed the event and caused chaos. The event was on two sides and two functions because of their fights," he added.

Omar, who was injured while trying to break up the fight, called for an end to using youth to cause violence.

"Violence is not the only way to solve issues. We must all sit at one table and agree to solve all our misunderstandings and issues. All the stakeholders and everyone involved have to sit together and address all the underlined issues," he explained.

During the launch, Sakaja said that the hospital would cater to both Korogocho residents and the wider city population. He assured the community of continued high-quality services, dismissing concerns that the transfer might negatively affect the hospital's performance.