On Wednesday, November 12, Kenyan newspapers reported on various topics, including a teacher’s battle against a hospital in Nairobi.
Source: UGC
1. Daily Nation
The newspaper reported on a war started by a teacher against a Nairobi hospital, which he accused of negligence during surgery.
On November 12, 2016, Newton Norbert Gogo, then a 20-year-old student at Alliance High School, suffered a life-changing injury when a piece of broken glass pierced his stomach.
She was rushed to Nairobi Women’s Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery and was discharged four days later.
However, Daily Nation reported that Gogo continued to experience persistent abdominal pain.
Despite visits to several medical facilities, the source was not discovered until it was discovered that a surgical instrument, specifically a pair of artery forceps, had been inadvertently left inside his body during a previous operation.
Artery clamps are tools used to clamp blood vessels during surgery, and their presence caused Gogo great discomfort for almost five years, from November 2016 to August 2021.
Evidence presented in court by retired radiologist Pascal Tanau Acholi confirmed the presence of the shovel through two ultrasound and X-ray scans.
At the request of the hospital, Gogo underwent further examination at the Kenyatta National Hospital, followed by reconstructive surgery at the County Hospital Poisonous.
The procedure left him with a large midline laparotomy scar, which he described in court as a permanent and unsightly deformity.
Following this incident, Gogo filed a lawsuit against the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, seeking general damages for pain and suffering, special damages for the cost of additional medical consultations, and increased damages for the long-term physical and emotional stress that disrupted her education and hindered her career prospects.
During the trial, it was admitted that Gogo, who is now 29 years old and teaches at Kisumu County’s Kochieng Comprehensive School in Ayweyo, had received treatment at Nairobi Women’s Hospital.
However, the hospital contested the validity of the medical documents, claiming they were fraudulent.
Their x-ray expert, Joash Auka, questioned the validity of the x-rays, citing the absence of markings, dates, and peripheral views.
After reviewing submissions from both sides, Judge Ruguru Ngotho of the Milimani Commercial Magistrate’s Court ruled that Nairobi Women’s Hospital had breached its duty of care.
The court found that the hospital failed to adhere to the standard of skill expected of medical professionals, causing harm and loss, key elements in determining negligence.
Medical reports from Eldama Ravine Sub-County Hospital, Ka-Abuya Health Centre, and Kisumu County Hospital corroborated Gogo’s claims.
The interrogation further confirmed the extent of his suffering.
The court awarded him KSh 5,131,000 as compensation: KSh 4 million as general compensation, KSh 1 million as increased compensation, and KSh 131,000 as special compensation. Interest and legal costs would accrue from October 3, 2025 until full payment is made.
Although Gogo welcomed the decision, he expressed dissatisfaction with the compensation, citing ongoing physical challenges and the possibility of future surgeries.
2. Nation Today
The Kiswahili newspaper allocated space for the discovery of gold worth billions of shillings in Kakamega County.
According to Taifa Today, Shanta Gold Kenya Limited, a UK-based company, plans to invest 208 million dollars (KSh 26.86 billion) in a gold mining and processing center in the county.
The project, outlined in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), will operate for eight years in the Isulu-Bushiangala area.
The company estimates that the area has gold reserves worth 5.28 billion dollars (KSh 683.04 billion).
The Shanta Gold subsidiary, registered in Guernsey, England, also operates mining operations in the country Tanzania.
The Isulu-Bushiangala site is part of the wider “West Kenya Project”, which involves seven exploration blocks in the western counties. In October, Shanta also sought Nema’s approval for a separate $137 million (KSh 17.7 billion) mining project in Ramula (Siaya), East Gem, and Mwibona (Vihiga).
The company estimates that the Isulu and Bushiangala areas in Ikolomani constituency can produce about 1,270,380 kilograms of high grade gold.
These deposits lie within fractured rocks surrounded by layers of volcanic and sandstone. Historically, the Kakamega gold belt dates back to the 1930s, when colonial miners established the first commercial mines in Kenya.
The name “Ikolomani” is derived from the Luhya word “okhooloma,” which means gold mine.
With gold currently priced at $4,111.39 per ounce (KSh530,985), Kakamega’s reserves are worth 2.3 times the economic value of the county and represent 4.1% of Kenya’s GDP (KSh16.22 trillion).
Shanta expects to pay annual royalties of $4.3–$4.7 million (KSh555–KSh607 million), plus a Mineral Development Tax of $1.5 million (KSh193.7 million).
Kakamega County will receive 20% of royalties, while local communities will receive 10%, amounting to approximately KSh 11 million and KSh 5.5 million per year respectively.
In addition, Shanta must sign a formal agreement with the affected communities to set aside 1% of the value of the gold, approximately KSh 6.83 billion over seven years, for local benefits. The project is expected to increase employment, business, and government revenue.
The Ministry of Mines noted that the project will be an important step for the mining sector in Kenya which is not stable.
To attract investors, the government recently reduced the royalty from 5% to 3%. Kenya’s gold revenue has declined for two consecutive years, dropping to KSh 3.02 billion in 2024.
3. The Star
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