Kennedy Kolombotole: KNH's January Post Seeking Help to Trace Suspected Killer's Kin Emerges
- The suspect in the Kenyatta National Hospital double murders was identified and taken into police custody
- A resurfaced post revealed that KNH had sought to trace the murder suspect’s kin after his discharge
- The murders raised serious concerns over past security lapses and accountability at the country’s largest referral hospital
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Nairobi: A post has emerged showing how Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) tried to locate the kin of murder suspect Kennedy Kolombotole.
Source: Twitter
Kolombotole was arrested on Thursday, July 17, after the body of Edward Maingi Ndegwa was discovered in a pool of blood inside Ward 7B.
A cleaner at the hospital found the body and alerted the hospital administration, who immediately called in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives. Maingi sustained a deep neck wound, consistent with foul play.
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The arrest drew renewed attention to Kolombotole, who had been previously flagged as a person of interest in the February 2025 murder of another patient, Gilbert Kinyua, at the same hospital.
In that incident, Kinyua was found with his throat cut, and Kolombotole emerged as the primary suspect.
Was Kennedy Kolombotole homeless?
A statement released by KNH revealed that Kolombotole had been living at the hospital for months, as he had no known relatives or permanent place of residence.
He was initially admitted in November 2022 to the ICU and subsequently transferred to the general ward.
Upon his discharge, being a homeless person, the hospital's management took it upon itself to secure a home where he lived.
His last admission was in December 2024, where he was treated and discharged in January 2025.
However, the home that previously hosted him declined to take him back, prompting KNH to continue housing him as they searched for alternative shelter.
“Following the death of Gilbert Kinyua, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) flagged the suspect and advised the hospital to hold him pending investigations,” read the hospital’s statement.
Did KNH search for Kolombotole's kin online?
Two weeks before Kinyua’s death, on January 24, KNH had shared Kolombotole’s image online in a bid to trace his kin, but no one came forward.
"Please share widely to help find his kin," KNH captioned.
Source: Facebook
Despite the seriousness of the accusations and the ongoing investigations, the hospital continued to shelter him, citing humanitarian grounds.
In both cases, investigations were hindered by the failure of CCTV cameras near the scene of the crime.
The surveillance systems were reportedly not functional at the times of the incidents, denying investigators crucial visual evidence that could have helped solidify the case against Kolombotole.
The incident has sparked concerns over security and accountability at the country’s largest referral hospital, as well as how a known murder suspect was allowed to remain in a public medical facility.
Is Kennedy Kolombotole's health stable?
Meanwhile, Philip Maiyo, the lawyer representing Kolombotole, accused authorities of scapegoating a mentally unstable man to hide the real culprits.
He described his client as frail, chronically ill, and unfit to commit the alleged murders.
Maiyo said he was seeking his release on bond. He argued that Kolombotole needed urgent medical attention.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
