Gaucho appointed to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital board as Nairobi health boards reconstituted

Political activist Calvince Okoth, popularly known as Gaucho, has been appointed as a member of the Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital Board.

The appointment, made by the Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Health, Suzanne Silantoi, takes effect from April 16, 2026, for a three-year term as part of the newly constituted Level 4 and Level 5 hospital boards.

The move also revokes all previous board appointments, ushering in a fresh lineup across Nairobi’s public health facilities.

The changes were announced in a gazette notice issued under the County Governments Act and the Facilities Improvement Financing Act.

According to the notice, the appointments were made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 9 (j) of the Facilities Improvements Financing Act, 2023,” with the County Executive Committee Member for Health Services appointing members to various hospital management boards.

Okoth joins a new team at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital led by Chairperson Dr. Elvis Meli, alongside other members including Dr. Chama Nzai, Susan Wanjiru Kamau, Knight Medza Kaingu, and Abdalla Ali. His inclusion marks a notable entry of a political activist into the governance structure of one of Nairobi’s busiest public health facilities.

The gazette notice outlines a broader restructuring across multiple health institutions in the county, including Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital, Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, Mutuini Hospital, and several sub-county facilities. Each board comprises a chairperson and members tasked with overseeing hospital management and service delivery.

In the notice, it is stated that the appointments are “with effect from 16th April 2026, for a term of three (3) years,” signaling a new phase in the administration of Nairobi’s Level 4 and Level 5 hospitals.

The directive also formally ends the tenure of previous board members. “All previous appointments to the Boards of Level 4 and Level 5 Hospital Management Boards within Nairobi City County stand revoked,” the notice read.

The reconstitution of the boards is expected to strengthen oversight, improve accountability, and enhance service delivery across Nairobi’s public health facilities, as the county government moves to implement reforms in the health sector.