Chaos broke out at St Mary’s Hospital in Lang’ata on Friday, December 19, after a group of alleged goons stormed the facility and brought all services to a sudden halt. What was meant to be a place of healing turned into a scene of fear, confusion, and unanswered questions.
Early that day, patients, staff, and caregivers watched in disbelief as the group forcefully took control of the hospital compound. Normal medical operations stopped almost immediately, leaving many patients stranded without help.
Videos shared from inside the hospital showed the alleged goons welding metal doors shut, breaking into residential quarters used by hospital employees, and forcefully closing the central administration offices. Access points to the hospital were also blocked, making it difficult for staff and patients to move freely.
The group was reportedly accompanied by Dr William Charles Fryder, who claims he is the founder and rightful owner of St Mary’s Hospital. According to Fryder, the hospital was taken away from him by people he says acted under questionable circumstances.
📰 Also Read This:
Fryder stated that he helped build the hospital with support from donors and partners, and that he never gave up his ownership rights. As the takeover unfolded, he and members of the current hospital leadership were involved in a heated altercation inside the facility.
“We had created this hospital. Another group, unfortunately, grabbed it under questionable circumstances,” Fryder said as the situation escalated.
The current management of St Mary’s Hospital strongly rejected the move, saying it was illegal and unsupported by any court order. They insisted that no lawful process had been followed before the forced entry.
Wanja Wambugu, the advocate representing St Mary’s Hospital, said the management was shocked by what they found upon arriving at work. She explained that offices were being broken into and doors welded shut while staff who had been running the hospital were locked out.
“We have not been served with any order. Upon arriving, we discovered that they were breaking into offices and welding doors, preventing the people who had been running the hospital from accessing the facility,” Wambugu stated.
Documents presented by Fryder show that he left Nazareth Mission Hospital in 1995 before starting plans to establish St Mary’s Hospitals. In 1997, he acquired 10 acres of land together with the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi to develop the medical facility.
The hospital was officially licensed in the year 2000 under the name St Mary’s Mission Hospital, Nairobi Limited. Over the years, it grew into one of the most important healthcare facilities in Lang’ata and its surrounding areas.
However, the ownership dispute deepened in 2010 when a new company was registered without Fryder’s name. This move, according to him, intensified the conflict and laid the ground for the current crisis.
St Mary’s Hospital plays a critical role in the community. On a normal day, it serves between 800 and 1,000 outpatients. It also handles an average of more than 900 deliveries every month, making it a lifeline for mothers, children, and vulnerable patients.
The sudden disruption had immediate and painful consequences. Patients were left lying helpless in beds with no doctors or nurses available to attend to them.
One caregiver broke down in tears as she explained that her patient urgently needed to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Because of the chaos, the patient remained untreated in a normal ward.
“The senior doctor said he should be in the ICU right now; why should the patient stay in bed without treatment?” she cried, capturing the anger and fear felt by many families.
Other patients wandered the corridors confused, while some were forced to leave the hospital without receiving care. For many, St Mary’s is the only affordable and trusted medical option.
As the standoff continued, fear grew that the dispute could cost lives if not resolved quickly. Healthcare workers were unable to perform their duties, and emergency cases faced dangerous delays.
For now, the future of St Mary’s Hospital remains uncertain. Two groups continue to fight for control, while patients and the wider community wait anxiously for answers.
What happened at Lang’ata is more than a legal battle. It is a human tragedy that shows how power struggles can put innocent lives at risk.
As authorities are urged to intervene, many are asking a painful question: how could a hospital that saves lives become a battlefield overnight?
