Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has announced the appointment of Abbas Gullet as the new chairperson of its Board of Directors.

The announcement, made on July 27, 2025, marks a significant leadership shift at Kenya’s premier referral and teaching hospital.

In a statement issued on Sunday, July 27, 2025, the hospital’s management and staff expressed optimism about the new leadership.

“The management and staff of KNH welcome Dr. Abbas Gullet as the new Chairperson of the Board of Directors,” read the statement.

Gullet brings decades of experience in humanitarian service, public health leadership, and institutional governance. He served as the secretary general of the Kenya Red Cross Society from 2005 to 2019, a period during which he transformed the organisation into a leading humanitarian agency. In 2007, he was named the “UN in Kenya Person of the Year” in recognition of his impact on emergency response and disaster management.

His career began in telecommunications in 1978, followed by a shift to humanitarian work when he joined the Kenya Red Cross Society as a medical officer in 1985. He later served under the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) before returning to Kenya to lead the national body.

Visionary leadership

Beyond his humanitarian portfolio, Gullet has also demonstrated strong entrepreneurial leadership. He is the founder and current chair of the Boma Group of hotels in Nairobi, Eldoret, and Nyeri—all fully owned by the Kenya Red Cross Society. Since 2019, he has served as CEO of Boma Panafrican Ltd.

KNH expressed confidence in his ability to steer the hospital through ongoing reforms and challenges.

“We are confident that his visionary leadership and vast experience will strengthen our commitment to delivering quality, specialised, and patient-centred care,” the hospital noted.

Heightened scrutiny

Gullet takes up the role at a time when KNH is under pressure to improve safety and service delivery. His appointment follows recent reports of serious safety concerns, including a second murder incident in Ward 7B on July 19, 2025. The hospital has since launched investigations in collaboration with relevant authorities.

This comes in the wake of a series of troubling security lapses at KNH, including a second reported killing detailed by a local publication on July 18. A person of interest in the case, Kennedy Kalombotole, was arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts and detained pending further investigations. The incidents have sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of the hospital’s internal security protocols.

KNH hopes that with his diverse background in health, humanitarian work, and enterprise, Gullet will help elevate the institution’s standards and restore public confidence in its operations.