The Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNULMO) has strongly condemned a violent attack on Kitengela Health Centre during Monday’s Saba Saba demonstrations, terming it a “barbaric and senseless act” that endangered both patients and health workers.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday, a group of organized goons stormed the hospital, disrupted ongoing medical procedures including a critical Caesarean section and vandalized the theatre. The attackers also set a fire at the hospital gate, further endangering lives.
KNULMO described the assault as “primitive lawlessness of the worst order,” warning that such acts of violence against health institutions represent not only ignorance but a threat to the nation’s collective well-being. The union emphasized that health workers risk their lives daily to serve with compassion and professionalism and should never be targets of violence.
“This is a national disgrace,” the union said. “To be met with violence, intimidation, and destruction while doing their noble duty is beyond unacceptable.”
Secretary General Pius Nyakundi demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the individuals captured on camera vandalizing equipment and setting parts of the hospital ablaze. He also called on the government to provide enhanced security in health facilities, especially in volatile areas.
Nyakundi warned that continued inaction could prompt the union to mobilize and withdraw its members from affected areas. “We will not sit back as our members are maimed, harassed, or killed in the line of duty,” he stated.
The union urged the public to recognize hospitals as essential lifelines rather than political targets. “When you attack a hospital, you are attacking your own safety, the safety of your children and your parents,” Nyakundi added.
He called on Kenyans to view health workers as partners in national development and guardians of life. “Protect health facilities as you would protect your home. To the government act now or risk losing the very people you rely on to heal the nation,” he concluded.
KNULMO reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights, safety, and dignity of its members as they continue serving the nation under increasingly difficult conditions.
