State appointments: Ex-Red Cross boss Abbas Gullet to lead KNH Board

President William Ruto has appointed former Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary-General Abbas Gullet as the chairperson of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Board of Directors.

In a gazette notice dated July 25, Ruto revoked the appointment of Dr Samier Muravvej and named Gullet to serve a three-year term.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 6(1)(a) of the State Corporations Act and Regulation 2(2)(a) of the Kenyatta National Hospital Board Order, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Abbas Gullet, to be the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kenyatta National Hospital. The appointment of Samier Muravvej is revoked,” read the notice in part.

Before his appointment, Gullet served as Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary-General.

He is also the founder and chair of the Boma Group of Hotels in Nairobi, Eldoret, and Nyeri, which are wholly owned by Kenya Red Cross.

Gullet has previously worked with the Kenya Post and Telecommunications Corporation and the Kenya External Telecommunications Company.

His predecessor, Dr Muravvej has been appointed to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council Board, as its chairperson, for three years.  However, his appointment will be effective August 5, 2025.

President Ruto also appointed Prof Fredrick Namenya Were as the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) chairperson for three years.

Were’s appointment is effective Friday, July 25. He replaces Prof Stanley Khainga.