This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
American Priest Defies Court Ruling, Builds New Hospital Near Lost Facility ¶
Dr. William Charles Fryda, a 70-year-old American priest, has built a new level 3 hospital in Gilgil, Nakuru County, just 100 meters away from the St. Mary's Mission Hospital he lost to the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi in a long court battle.
Dr. Fryda, who has been in Kenya since 1991, had been involved in a seven-year court battle with the Assumption Sisters over the ownership of St. Mary's Mission Hospital in Gilgil and St. Mary's Lang'ata in Nairobi.
On September 2017, the Environment and Lands Court in Nakuru ruled in favor of the nuns, leaving Dr. Fryda without hope of sustaining his mission. However, he has since appealed the matter and has not given up on his mission.
Dr. Fryda has named the new hospital St. Joseph's, after Mary's husband in the Bible, and has equipped it with a 70-bed capacity, an x-ray room, and an operating theatre. The hospital has already attended to over 100 out-patients since its opening last week.
Dr. Fryda, who is still a Catholic priest, has stated that he remains a priest until he receives a letter from the Pope for excommunication, which has not happened to him yet. He has also stated that he still considers John Cardinal Njue as his spiritual leader, despite the court battle.
Dr. Fryda's determination to build a new hospital is a testament to his commitment to serving the people of Kenya. Despite the challenges he has faced, he remains optimistic and is already planning to build another facility in Njoro, Nakuru County.
