Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has credited AIC Kijabe Hospital with saving his life following a horrific road accident in 2020, which left him with 21 injuries.
Tuju was left with life-threatening injuries on February 12, 2020, after his car collided head-on with a matatu along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
At the time, Tuju was serving as the Secretary General of the Jubilee Party and was on his way to attend former President Daniel Moi’s funeral in Nakuru.
The accident happened at around 6:40 a.m., and he was rushed to Kijabe Hospital for medical attention.
Speaking at the hospital’s 110th anniversary celebration held on May 28, 2025, Tuju praised Kijabe’s medical team for the swift action that saved his life.
He recalled how he was taken in at the facility with multiple injuries. His situation was aggravated by the severe loss of blood, which put his life at risk.
But upon assessment, the medics at the Kijabe Hospital decided to perform a surgery before evacuating him to Nairobi, a move he says “saved his life”.
Raphael Tuju shares his experience
“I had 21 injuries and was bleeding profusely. By God’s grace, the doctors at Kijabe made the call not to evacuate me to Nairobi without a surgical intervention, and that decision saved my life,” Tuju told a crowd of dignitaries, health workers, and community members gathered at the hospital grounds in Lari Sub-County.
In a press release dated May 29, the AIC Kijabe Hospital acknowledged that Tuju’s story is a reflection of millions of patients who have had the same experience for the last 110 years.
The AIC Kijabe Hospital has rendered services to millions of patients across generations over the last 110 years.
The commemorative event, which ran from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., brought together past and present staff, alumni, and partners to celebrate the hospital’s legacy of compassionate care and medical training since its founding in 1915.
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The event was officiated by Dr. Ouma Oluga, Principal Secretary for Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, who also began his medical career at Kijabe Hospital.
Over the decades, the hospital has grown from a small mission dispensary into a modern teaching and referral facility serving over 200,000 patients annually across East and West Africa.
The hospital also boasts an advanced Cancer Centre, offering chemotherapy and follow-up care for over 450 patients monthly, doubling its previous capacity.
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Dr. Chege Macharia, the hospital’s Executive Director, said the legacy of Kijabe is built on a foundation of faith, service, and sacrifice.
“We are standing on the prayers and work of those who came before us,” he said.
“As we celebrate the past, we remain committed to extending healing and hope into the next century.”
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