UK Development Minister, Andrew Mitchell, was on Tuesday, June 6, interrogated by Members of Parliament for two hours for funding a Nairobi hospital accused of detaining a new mom.
He was put on the spot for managing a fundraising effort that bestowed millions of pounds to the hospital yet it breached the human rights of the unidentified woman and her newborn. The international development committee presented evidence which disclosed that the hospital kept the woman detained over failure to pay a Sh225,162 bill.
Mitchell told the committee that the UK was informed about her detainment and that actions were taken to avert the recurrence of the issue. He justified the investments by saying that they were granted the go-ahead by all relevant stakeholders. In response to the disclosure, UK MPs asked the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to create new laws in regard to foreign investments. They further asked that more caution be embraced before releasing funds.
“Investments were made according to instructions from the shareholder at that time. I cannot tell you whether they would be allowed today,” the Minister insisted.
The UK has invested Ksh500 billion in funding projects in Kenya in a bid to combat global warming, create jobs and provide Kenyans with low-cost electricity. Recently, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja addressed the rising reports of patients being neglected or refused care. The governor has made changes in the management of various hospitals including Pumwani Hospital and Mama Lucy.
