Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has renamed Pumwani Maternity Hospital after himself following his “impromptu visit” to the facility that revealed 12 dead babies bundled together in garbage nylon papers and later put in a box.
We have to give Sonko a standing ovation, he got the media to broadcast and deliver his agenda. Sonko knew what a hot headline Pumwani would create and how the media would jump into any negative news regarding the facility.
The media has totally failed the Pumwani Hospital community regarding the issue of Sonko finding dead babies bundled together. Despite being entrusted to represent and set the right agenda, the media failed terribly by jumping onto Sonko’s narrative that rode onto previous claims of babies being stolen in the hospital.
Nairobians are yet to know and understand the theatrics behind their governor, despite having voted for him overwhelmingly. His recent Pumwani Maternity storming with chapeaux that mildly covered his eyes, left many questions that we all chose to overlook and deliver the headlines that would sell.
Questions such as; why was the Governor surprised and so angry throwing demeaning words like “kubaff” at the staff for keeping dead bodies in nylon papers and carton boxes? Where did we all expect these bodies to be stored when the facility does not have a morgue?
After Sonko had the media dancing to his tune, he “donated” cooler boxes to the Pumwani maternity. Who is responsible for Pumwani’s current situation of storing dead babies in nylon papers if not the Governor himself? Why does Sonko wish to be applauded for doing what he is paid to do? Was this whole drama a set up to get someone out of office at the facility or to have Sonko have the facility renamed after himself after his “heroic act” of saving 11 dead babies?!
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko should stop taking Kenyans for a ride and manipulating the media. Pumwani is his responsibility and going into partnerships to upgrade the facility among Mama Lucy Hospital, Mutuine hospital and all institutions under the Nairobi County Government is not a favor to anyone, it is the job Nairobians voted him in for.
Naming Pumwani Maternity Hospital to be Sonko Pumwani Women’s Hospital & College of Nursing & Midwifery is a further insult to Kenyan’s intelligence. Gone are the days when we would wake up to self-centered individuals renaming public institutions to themselves. Taxpayer’s money cannot be used every five years in rebranding, what if former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero had named the facility after himself or all the Governors follow Sonko’s example?
Sonko’s announcement on his social media platform came as Pumwani Maternity Hospital is under backlash for what most Kenyan’s feel is hiding of dead babies to be exchanged with live ones supporting the accusations of child trafficking within the institution
“I’m happy to announce a new partnership deal with Agha Khan University Hospital & Nairobi West Hospital to transform Pumwani Maternity Hospital. Open link for more details of the upcoming new Sonko Pumwani Women’s Hospital & College of Nursing & Midwifery,” Sonko posted on Friday evening.
Instead of cleaning up his county, Sonko has chosen to play what he knows best, politics, rendering a number Kenyans jobless among them top officials at Pumwani Maternity Hospital for what he termed as insubordination after they contradicted his report of discovering 12 infant bodies.