White elephant: Pumwani's proposed 300-bed capacity Nyayo wards lie in ruins 37 years later

Located opposite the Pumwani Maternity Hospital, a building that would have housed several wards and a morgue remains abandoned 37 years after its construction began.

It was to be an extension of the Pumwani Hospital and was built during former President Daniel Moi's era but would later house hawkers before thieves and drug dealers took charge.

In 2016, the  Ministry of Health promised to refurbish a 300-bed capacity hospital and a morgue at Sh544 million but nothing has been done.

Constructed in 1986/1987, the building set to house Nyayo wards, teemed with entrepreneurial activities, with Eastleigh business people occupying the space on the vast land.

It started as a garage before it evolved into a vibrant marketplace. It brimmed with different businesses before its final closure in September 2023, which marked the end of an era, leaving former occupants reminiscing about its heyday.

Samuel Kinyua used to keep his birds at the Nyayo Wards building in Eastleigh. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

Samuel Kinyua, a poultry farmer who managed the building for over five years, recalls the abrupt shutdown initiated by local authorities.

"We had a big car wash here, maize business, farming and poultry business. Different hawkers selling a variety of products also flocked to this place after 4 pm. I was a poultry farmer with over 300 birds. Business was booming," he says.

Following the market closure, Samuel claims he was directed to manage the building by a District Commissioner. He would control all the activities inside the facility before the government closed it down and fenced it in 2023.

"The District Officer called us and gave us all an ultimatum to close all the activities in the building within three days. It came so abruptly and the impetuous decision left us all in a confusion. I lost goods worth Sh300,000 when the police raided the place and left several injured and others imprisoned," he said.

Despite its closure, Samuel highlights the missed opportunity for a much-needed healthcare facility that could have served residents in Eastleigh, Mathare, Ngara, Parklands, and Majengo.

"This is such a big waste because such an extension would have benefited people from the Eastleigh community. There is a morgue in the premises which would've immensely benefited everyone and eased the congestion at Pumwani Hospital," Samuel adds.

Farida Kadule, a hawker outside the building. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

Reason for closure

Conflicting narratives emerge regarding the building's closure; while some attribute it to theft and drug abuse, others recall the county government's attempt to relocate over 20,000 hawkers to the premises in 2016 after renovations.

"This used to be a hub for drug abuse especially amongst students who sneaked out of school to smoke and hang around here. Thieves also used to sneak in at night and steal metals in the building," said Farida Kadule, a hawker outside the building.

In January 2016, the county government started relocating over 20,000 hawkers from Eastleigh Market to occupy the stalled building.

The Nyayo Wards building in Eastleigh. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

Christopher Khaemba, the then county planning minister, said the county government had started clearing the bushes and would also build a public toilet for the hawkers.

"The Nyayo wards will serve as an alternative for the hawkers as the space is enough for all of them to do business after we refurbish the wards," said Khaemba in an interview with Nation.

Last November, the Nairobi County government announced that it had embarked on a significant initiative to reclaim and repurpose the Pumwani Nyayo Wards, transforming them into a dedicated children's hospital within the Pumwani Maternity Referral Hospital.

Geoffrey Mosiria, the County Chief Officer overseeing the health facility, announced plans to revamp the facility, making it the first government-owned children's hospital in Nairobi County and Kenya as a whole. Mosiria urged the community to support the repossession of Pumwani Nyayo Wards. This initiative aligns with the broader goal of creating a brighter and healthier future for children in Nairobi County.

“As we embark on this transformative journey, I implore the community to embrace and support the repossession of Pumwani  Nyayo Wards. Let us pave the way for a brighter, healthier future for our children, right here in Nairobi County,” he said.

However, eight years later, the promise of refurbishment remains unfulfilled, leaving hawkers navigating congested roads and Pumwani Hospital grappling with overwhelming patient numbers.

As the abandoned building continues to stand as a monument to unrealized potential, its fate remains uncertain.