This archive report was first published on 8 July 2021.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's nighttime launch of several health facilities in Nairobi has sparked debate among Kenyans, with many questioning the timing of the event.
On Tuesday night, the president toured several health facilities in Nairobi, accompanied by Major General Mohammed Abdalla Badi, and launched the Gichagi-Kangemi hospital in Kangemi, as well as the Rueben Health Centre in Mukuru Kwa Rueben in Embakasi.
Other health facilities launched included the Gathende Dispensary in Dagoretti North, Tasia and Gatina Dispensary.
According to the president, the nighttime launch was necessary to observe COVID-19 protocols and because of the hospital timings, with Nairobi hospitals opening at 8am and closing at 6pm.
"We went at night because of two reasons; First, we wanted to be sure that we were observing the COVID-19 protocols and as you have seen for yourselves it would have been impossible to go and do what we did today during the day because of the number of people who could have been out there," said the president.
"Second; we also discovered that Nairobi Hospitals open at 8 oclock in the morning and were closed 6pm in the evening. Meaning that those few Hospitals that were actually available within the city of Nairobi…if somebody got sick or was in need of medical attention it meant that if it was after 6pm the only facility they could access was Kenyatta National Hospital," he added.
The president also interacted with employees during the launch and surprised the presenters and listeners at Reuben FM 99.9 FM in Nairobi's slums with a random interview.
