Standoff Over Unpaid Contractor Fees Leaves Sh1.2 Billion Police Hospital in Mbagathi Idle
A financial standoff over unpaid dues has left the Sh1.2 billion National Police Service Level IV Hospital in Mbagathi lying idle for over a year. Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu has sharply criticized the government for failing to operationalize the fully equipped and staffed facility due to a dispute with the contractor over unpaid fees.
According to Gathungu’s 2023/2024 Audit Report, only Sh400 million was paid at the outset of construction, while Sh833.6 million remains outstanding. Despite the hospital being completed in the 2022/2023 financial year and staff recruitment already underway, the facility has not been operational since its completion.
The hospital, intended to serve members of the disciplined services, including police officers and their families, was handed over to the Ministry of Interior and National Administration in May 2024 by then Defence CS Adan Duale. However, the contractor’s unpaid dues have delayed its opening, with the facility remaining unused despite being fully furnished and ready for service.
The delay in the hospital’s opening has compounded the suffering of police officers, particularly after a consortium of insurance companies halted medical services due to the National Police Service’s failure to pay a Sh5 billion premium.
In March 2025, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Defence’s headquarters to review the hospital’s opening. Led by Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, the meeting concluded with the formation of a committee to resolve the pending payments and move towards the facility’s opening.
While the contractor requested the Ministry of Defence, which oversaw construction until 2022, to take responsibility for the debt, their request was declined. Nevertheless, the establishment of the Joint Ministry of Defence-National Police Service Technical Committee is seen as a step toward resolving the issue.
Once operational, the hospital will provide healthcare services to the National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and their dependents, much like the Armed Forces Memorial Hospital provides for military personnel.
The government has yet to announce when the hospital will finally open, but stakeholders remain hopeful that the establishment of the technical committee will lead to a resolution and the much-needed healthcare services for the police and military.
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Standoff Over Unpaid Contractor Fees Leaves Sh1.2 Billion Police Hospital in Mbagathi Idle