NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 13 — Detectives have arrested the prime suspect linked to the invasion and vandalism of Kitengela Sub-County Hospital during the Saba Saba protests on July 7.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) identified the suspect as Elvis Otieno Owino, after reviewing CCTV footage from the facility.
According to the DCI, Owino was part of a group that stormed the hospital on Monday at the height of the demonstrations.
He was apprehended and later led investigators to his rented residence in Noonkopir, where authorities recovered a black marvin cap and a grey jacket — the same items he was seen wearing during the attack.
At the time of the incident, medical staff were reportedly performing a Caesarean section on a pregnant woman, further heightening concerns over the safety of patients and healthcare workers.
The DCI confirmed in a statement on Saturday night that Owino is in custody as investigations continue, with efforts underway to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in the attack.
The exact number of perpetrators remains unknown.
The assault on the hospital disrupted critical medical services and drew sharp condemnation from healthcare professionals across the country.
The Kenyan National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) denounced the incident, calling it a “barbaric and senseless” attack on healthcare workers.
“Attacking a hospital is an act of self-destruction. When you attack a hospital, you are not only attacking the government or some perceived enemy, you are attacking the very lifeline that your own family, your children, and your parents will run to when life hangs in the balance,” said Pius Nyakundi, KNUMLO Secretary General.
The union threatened to withdraw services from public health facilities unless the government guarantees the safety of medical personnel on duty.
