Patients at Canon Hospital were left stranded and in shock after auctioneers stormed the facility over Kshs7 million rent dues.
The incident occurred on Monday, bringing operations at the facility to a standstill.
While addressing the media, the hospital’s chairman Sam Kuria accused the landlord of breaching their contract.
According to him, he had come to an agreement with the landlord that he would finish incomplete storey building and in return, his rent was to be waived for some months.
Admitting that the current arrears stand at Kshs7 million, Kuria argued that the hospital was not operating on the entire building as it was still incomplete.
He also lamented about the landlord issuing them a short eviction notice.
“We would have been served with an advance eviction notice rather than invading the hospital and throwing hospital items,” Kuria said.
He added that he took the matter to court and were allowed time to defend themselves on why they were yet to clear the rent.
Kuria also urged their clients to continue visiting the hospital, noting that it will proceed with its operations regardless of the Monday stand off.
One of the clients identified as Wycliffe Wekesa, who had admitted his niece at the facility, said that during the admission process on Sunday, everything was normal.
“On Sunday I brought my niece here to get medication and everything was normal during the admission time. I couldn’t imagine this drama would crop- up,” he said.
He only received information about auctioneers invading the facility on Monday, when he was planning to pay his niece a visit.
“Immediately, I rushed to the hospital to check how my niece was fairing on. Upon arrival, I spotted a huge crowd outside the hospital with security heightened by armed police officers,” Wekesa added.
He was forced to transfer his niece to another facility.
“This incident is the third one because last time the evictors came and carried equipment. We thought the facility management had sorted the mess,” Wekesa said.
