The High Court has issued a temporary injunction suspending the appointment of Prof. Herman Manyora as chairperson of the Nairobi Hospital board, deepening a long-running leadership crisis at one of Kenya’s top private medical institutions.
The order was issued on June 30, 2025, following a petition by two board members who argued that the decision to appoint Prof. Manyora was made in violation of hospital governance procedures and the law.
The dispute reflects wider internal divisions that have rocked the hospital’s board for months, with rival factions battling for control in a series of dramatic leadership changes.
Justice William Lopokoiyit ruled in favour of the petitioners—Ms Linsley Mandriani and Ms Yasmin Aligass Mohammed—who moved to court to contest the validity of the special board meeting that endorsed Prof. Manyora’s appointment.
According to court filings, the meeting was allegedly held without proper notice or adherence to laid-down governance procedures, making its resolutions unlawful.
“The special meeting was done contrary to the law and in complete disregard of the procedures of the Nairobi Hospital,” read part of the petition. The court agreed to temporarily halt the execution of the board’s resolutions until the matter is heard and determined, with the hearing scheduled for July 17, 2025.
At the heart of the dispute is Prof. Herman Manyora, a prominent political analyst and lecturer at the University of Nairobi, whose appointment as board chair has now been suspended. The broader leadership turmoil also involves Dr Barclay Onyambu and Dr David Bichage, both key figures in the ongoing boardroom conflicts.
Just a week before Prof Manyora’s suspension, a different faction obtained a court order restraining Dr Onyambu from identifying himself as board chair—a role he had taken up amid what is being described as an internal leadership struggle.
The order also stemmed from a petition disputing Onyambu’s legitimacy as chairperson following his replacement of Dr Bichage earlier this year. Dr Bichage has challenged his ouster, claiming it breached hospital procedures and compromised the institution’s operational stability. He cautioned that such leadership wrangles threaten the welfare of the hospital’s members and subscribers.
The High Court’s interim orders were issued on June 30, 2025, while the full hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 17, 2025. The timeline follows a series of leadership disputes that began earlier this year, when board members began clashing over control of key decision-making processes. The recent wave of litigation has only heightened the standoff, with both camps fighting to retain or reclaim control of the board’s top position.
The petitioners allege that the board meeting that appointed Prof. Manyora was convened without proper authority and in breach of governance rules. They maintain that no adequate notice was given to board members and that the hospital’s procedural guidelines were ignored.
This, they say, renders the decisions made during the meeting null and void. Their concern is that such actions erode institutional governance and could set a precedent for future decisions being made outside the law.
Dr. Bichage, who was removed from the board earlier in March and replaced by Dr Onyambu, has echoed these concerns. In his court challenge, he argued that his ouster not only violated board regulations but also posed a serious threat to the hospital’s independence and the operational trust that members and stakeholders place in the institution. He said the situation was being manipulated by vested interests intent on controlling hospital operations without regard for due process.
In his ruling, Justice Lopokoiyit stated:
“That a temporary injunction is hereby issued suspending the resolutions of the 2nd Defendant (Nairobi Hospital) board members to appoint the 1st Defendant (Prof. Manyora) as the Chairperson… and restraining the 1st Defendant either by himself, servants or assigns from altering the chairmanship.”
The judge directed that no further actions should be taken to implement the board’s resolutions until the court determines the matter. Meanwhile, the faction supporting Prof. Manyora had earlier gone to court to seek orders restraining Dr Onyambu from interfering with decisions made after his removal as chairperson. They argued that Onyambu’s continued involvement was unlawful and risked undermining the new leadership.
As the court prepares to hear the case in full, the standoff has left Nairobi Hospital in a state of uncertainty. With multiple legal challenges, parallel court orders, and rival camps refusing to cede ground, stakeholders—including medical professionals, staff, and patients—are watching closely to see how the court will resolve the deepening leadership impasse at the institution.
– By Wambui Wachira
