Ministry bars senior officer from laboratory practice
Health & Science
By
Mike Kihaki
| Feb 04, 2026
The Ministry of Health has directed the Kenya National Public Health Institute (NPHI) to immediately bar a senior officer from any medical laboratory practice, citing inconsistencies in his deployment and assigned roles with professional regulatory and public service frameworks.
In a directive issued to NPHI Acting Director General Dr. Maureen Kamene, Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni raised concerns over Leonard Kingwara, a Senior Laboratory Analyst appointed under the State Department for Medical Services.
The move follows correspondence from the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB) and an administrative review by the ministry.
According to the letter, Kingwara “is not registered or licensed by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board within the meaning of Sections 2, 19, and 20” of the Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Act, Cap. 253A. “
Medical laboratory practice, including diagnostic, forensic, pathology, and laboratory supervisory functions, may only be undertaken by persons duly registered and licensed by the Board,” the ministry stated.
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PS Muthoni warned that engaging unlicensed personnel in such roles “presents regulatory, clinical, and medico-legal risks to institutions and the public.”
She noted that Kingwara’s postings within the Directorates of Curative and Nursing, the Division of Pathology and Forensic Services, and later to NPHI as Manager, Laboratory Services, went beyond his approved job group and scheme of service, creating irregularities in deployment.
The directive also addressed a 2024 appointment by the NPHI Board chair to support the institute’s operationalisation for three years without financial facilitation, which was deemed outside the provisions of public service human resource policies.
PS Muthoni instructed that the officer “shall not engage, directly or indirectly, in any activity constituting medical laboratory practice, including laboratory supervision, coordination, validation, forensic analysis, diagnostic testing, or professional representation.”
She further ordered that “any title, role, or designation implying medical laboratory professional leadership or statutory responsibility shall be administratively withdrawn.”
The Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) welcomed the directive, describing it as a decisive step against quackery. Secretary General Plus Nyakundi Moriasi said, “Quackery in healthcare is not merely unethical – it is deadly and costly.
The Ministry’s action sends a strong and reassuring signal to both professionals and the public that patient safety and professional integrity remain paramount.”
Moriasi cited the recent tragic Dagoretti incident, where a quack dentist caused a patient’s death, as evidence of the dangers posed by unqualified practitioners.
He urged stricter nationwide enforcement in public laboratories and called for the immediate appointment of KMLTTB members to restore the board’s full operational capacity.
Kingwara, a long-serving officer with 16 years of experience and a PhD in Molecular Science, now awaits further administrative and legal actions, while NPHI has been given seven days to submit written confirmation of compliance and corrective measures.
“This directive is issued in the interest of public safety, professional regulation, institutional integrity, and compliance with the law,” PS Muthoni said, emphasizing that the measure is an administrative alignment and not a personal misconduct finding.
The ministry warned that continued non-compliance could attract further action under applicable laws and public service accountability frameworks.