Kenya Hospital Association reconstitutes board, keeping Barcley Onyambu in the chair as governance dispute persists

Board reset after August AGM

The Kenya Hospital Association (KHA), which owns and oversees The Nairobi Hospital, has reconstituted its Board of Management after an annual general meeting held on August 25, 2026. According to notices cited by Kenyan media, the process confirmed Dr Barcley Onyambu as chairman for another term and kept Samson Mbuthia Kinyanjui in the vice-chair role. The reconstitution also brought in four new members to the 11-person board, while retaining a number of existing figures in key leadership posts. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

People Daily and Capital FM both reported that the board changes were announced in a notice issued by The Nairobi Hospital on August 28, following what the institution described as the successful conclusion of the AGM. The two outlets independently listed the same 11-member board composition, including Onyambu, Kinyanjui, Dr Agnes Gachoki, Dr Edwin Rono, Dr Magdalene Muthoka, Prof John Mwero, Akinyi Gaya Valerie, Anne Njuguna, Moses Ondaba, Wycliff Wanzala and Lekek Chebii. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

The notice, as quoted by the two reports, said the restructuring was carried out under the Kenya Hospital Association’s Articles of Association. The articles cited in the reporting cover how the board is constituted and composed, indicating that the leadership refresh was presented by the hospital as an internal governance process rather than an ad hoc intervention. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

Continuity at the top

Onyambu’s retention matters because the chairmanship has been central to the wider leadership contest around the hospital. Capital FM reported that he was re-elected chairman during the AGM, while People Daily said the continuity offers stability at the top of the association as it enters a new phase of governance. That assessment is grounded in the obvious fact that board leadership changes at a major private hospital can affect strategic direction, oversight and external confidence. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

The same reports show that the board is not being rebuilt from scratch. Kinyanjui remains vice chairman after being elected in December 2024, while Gachoki remains chairperson of the Medical Advisory Committee and Rono remains her deputy. Muthoka, Mwero and Gaya Valerie were elected in December 2024, and Njuguna, Ondaba, Wanzala and Chebii were elected at the August 25 AGM. That mix suggests an effort to preserve institutional memory while adding fresh representation. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

The hospital’s current governance structure matters because The Nairobi Hospital is not run like a conventional shareholder-owned company. Capital FM noted that it is owned by KHA, a membership-based organisation registered as a company limited by guarantee, and that its members participate in choosing leadership. That structure helps explain why board elections are treated as high-stakes events and why disputes over membership and office-holders have drawn so much attention. ([capitalfm.africa](https://capitalfm.africa/nairobi-hospital-reconstitutes-board-as-onyambu-retains-chairmanship/))

Why the board changes are being watched closely

The new board arrives after months of tension around the hospital’s governance. Capital FM reported that disputes over the legitimacy of the chairmanship had previously involved rival positions, including claims in 2025 that Onyambu had been removed, claims the hospital rejected. The same report said the issue later moved into the courts, with the Court of Appeal addressing an application tied to a High Court case involving KHA, its board, Onyambu and senior officials. ([capitalfm.africa](https://capitalfm.africa/nairobi-hospital-reconstitutes-board-as-onyambu-retains-chairmanship/))

The hospital has also faced political and parliamentary attention. Capital FM reported that senators asked in March 2026 for an inquiry into governance, regulation and service delivery at The Nairobi Hospital, citing board-election disputes, office legitimacy and major financial decisions. That scrutiny is important because governance problems at a major referral facility can quickly become questions about patient confidence, staff morale and institutional continuity. ([capitalfm.africa](https://capitalfm.africa/nairobi-hospital-reconstitutes-board-as-onyambu-retains-chairmanship/))

The reports also note that the institution’s unusual ownership model has become part of the controversy. Because KHA is membership-based and not built around ordinary shareholders, the composition of the membership register can directly shape who helps determine leadership. Capital FM said the membership rose by 696 people in 2024 to 3,211, up from 2,515 the previous year, a jump that attracted scrutiny because of its importance to board elections. That detail underscores why board composition has become such a sensitive subject. ([capitalfm.africa](https://capitalfm.africa/nairobi-hospital-reconstitutes-board-as-onyambu-retains-chairmanship/))

Operational stability still the main test

The immediate question now is whether the reconstituted board can settle the governance debate and keep attention on operations. Capital FM reported that in March, a group of senior consultants sought President William Ruto’s intervention over concerns about management and governance, while the hospital maintained that services were still running normally. That tension between reassurance and alarm has defined much of the public conversation around the institution. ([capitalfm.africa](https://capitalfm.africa/nairobi-hospital-reconstitutes-board-as-onyambu-retains-chairmanship/))

For patients and staff, the practical measure of success will not be the formal announcement alone but whether the new board can demonstrate coherent decision-making, steady leadership and clear accountability. In that sense, Onyambu’s retention may be less a conclusion than a test: can continuity at the top be translated into calmer governance after a long stretch of public disagreement? That is an inference from the reporting, but it is the central issue suggested by the facts on record. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

What is verifiable for now is that KHA has formally reconstituted its board, that Onyambu remains chairman, and that the hospital is presenting the move as compliant with its governing rules. What remains unresolved is whether this latest board arrangement will finally reduce the institutional friction that has made Nairobi Hospital a focal point of Kenya’s healthcare governance debate. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

Source links

People Daily reported the board reconstitution and the retention of Onyambu as chairman. Capital FM independently confirmed the same board composition and added context on the wider governance dispute. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

Editorial note

This article is an original rewrite based on corroborated reporting from two independent publisher domains. It avoids copying source phrasing and limits interpretation to clearly signposted analysis. ([peopledaily.digital](https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-hospital-association-unveils-new-board-as-barcley-onyambu-retains-chairmanship))

Sources:

• People Daily
• Capital FM Kenya