NAIROBI, Kenya — Veteran Kenyan gynaecologist and medical leader Dr Job Obwaka has died at the age of 83, his family has confirmed.
According to relatives, Dr Obwaka passed away on Friday evening after being rushed unconscious to The Nairobi Hospital, where he had served for many years. He was pronounced dead on arrival.
Dr Obwaka was widely regarded as a respected figure in Kenya’s medical community, with a career spanning several decades in obstetrics and gynaecology.
He played a significant role in advancing women’s healthcare and medical governance, particularly through his leadership at Nairobi Hospital, one of the country’s leading private health institutions.
Colleagues describe him as part of a generation of clinicians who helped shape modern specialist medicine in Kenya, mentoring younger practitioners while contributing to hospital administration and policy.
In recent months, Dr Obwaka had been at the centre of a high-profile leadership dispute at Nairobi Hospital.
He was arrested, detained and later presented in court alongside other board members, including Samson Kinyanjui and Chris Bichage, over allegations related to conflict of interest.
The arrests drew strong criticism from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which questioned the treatment of senior medical professionals.
The union cited Dr Obwaka’s long-standing service, age and professional standing, arguing that due process and dignity should have been upheld.
Dr Obwaka’s death marks the passing of a prominent figure in Kenya’s healthcare sector at a time when the country continues to grapple with reforms in hospital governance and medical regulation.
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Tributes are expected from across the medical fraternity, with many likely to highlight his contributions to clinical practice, institutional leadership and mentorship.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
The developments surrounding Dr Obwaka come against the backdrop of ongoing governance disputes at Nairobi Hospital, which have drawn attention to accountability, board oversight and transparency in private healthcare institutions.
The case involving hospital directors remains part of a broader conversation about regulation and ethical standards in Kenya’s medical sector.
