Millions of shillings worth of public property have vanished inside Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya’s largest referral facility at the Coast. Patients report stolen valuables, critical medical equipment used in cancer treatment has allegedly disappeared, and security guards often appear either absent or indifferent.
An investigation by CourtNews.co.ke now points to deliberate security gaps, weak oversight, and questionable procurement practices that continue to expose patients, visitors, and public assets to theft—while accountability remains elusive.
A Hospital Where Theft Has Become Routine
Multiple sources within the hospital confirm that criminals exploit known security blind spots within the compound. These gaps persist despite repeated complaints from staff, patients, and visitors.
Documents and insider accounts reviewed by this publication indicate that high-value medical equipment, including machines linked to cancer treatment services, was removed from restricted zones without resistance. The losses reportedly run into tens of millions of shillings.
Hospital management has neither published a comprehensive inventory of missing equipment nor provided a clear explanation of how sensitive machines exited secure areas without alarms, escorts, or incident reports.
Private Security Firm Under Spotlight
The hospital contracts Dina Security to guard its premises. The firm is owned by Said Abdallah, popularly known as Saidoh.
Sources within the hospital allege that Dina Security continues to operate despite repeated internal warnings, complaints, and documented failures. Guards interviewed admitted they lack proper tools, training, and supervision.
Several guards described poor pay, excessive working hours, and intimidation when they raise concerns. Some allege they are discouraged from filing incident reports, while others claim supervisors instruct them to remain silent when theft occurs.
These accounts suggest deliberate neglect rather than mere incompetence.
Political Protection Allegations
Records reviewed show that Dina Security has served the hospital since the tenure of former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.
Insiders allege that political connections have shielded the firm from audits, contract reviews, and public scrutiny—even after thefts directly affected patient care. County officials have offered no public explanation as to why the firm has remained in place despite repeated security breaches.
Hospital administrators continue to dismiss the losses as isolated incidents or blame careless visitors—claims contradicted by police records and insider testimony.
Victim Account: Vehicle Break-In Inside Hospital Compound
The scale of the security collapse is illustrated by the experience of Loice Mwamba, a Nairobi-based businesswoman from Taita County.
On June 20, 2025, Mwamba arrived at the hospital at about 4:30 a.m. during a family medical emergency involving her mother. She parked her Subaru Forester in a designated area within the hospital compound.
When she returned later that morning, she found the rear left windscreen shattered. Thieves had stolen valuables worth over KSh 121,500, including:
-
Jewellery (watches, earrings, chains, necklace)
-
A handbag with KSh 10,000 cash
-
An external hard disk
-
An Oppo mobile phone
-
An HP laptop
-
Personal documents and food items
The guard on duty claimed ignorance, stating his shift began at 6:00 p.m. and describing the area as unsecured. Mwamba found no warning signs indicating parking was at the owner’s risk.
Hospital officials advised her to report to police. She filed a report at Tononoka Police Station under OB No. 41/30/6/2025.
Police Records Show a Pattern
Police records confirm multiple similar reports linked to the hospital. Investigators acknowledge difficulties due to lack of cooperation from hospital security, including:
-
Failure to provide CCTV footage
-
Missing patrol logs
-
Cameras allegedly malfunctioning during incidents
Officers say these gaps have hampered investigations and reinforced suspicions of internal complicity.
Dirty Tenders and Untouchable Contracts
Sources allege that irregular tender processes keep Dina Security in place. They claim contracts are awarded without competitive bidding, while procurement records remain inaccessible.
Complaints reportedly stall, audits disappear, and guards who speak out face transfers or termination. One senior staff member told CourtNews.co.ke that when questioned about losses, senior figures respond with arrogance and denial, confident of protection.
County officials have yet to explain who signs off security reports after major losses, or how high-value equipment exits hospital grounds without trace.
A System That Benefits Silence
Taken together, police records, internal documents, and eyewitness accounts reveal a pattern of planning rather than coincidence.
Patients and visitors now fear for their safety. Public confidence in the referral hospital continues to erode.
Experts interviewed called for:
-
An independent audit of all security contracts
-
A forensic inventory of missing equipment
-
Immediate suspension of firms linked to repeated failures
-
Criminal investigations without political interference
Until accountability takes root, theft at Coast General Hospital will continue to drain public funds, endanger patients, and undermine trust in public healthcare.
source:nyakundireport