President William Ruto has appointed Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, the former M-PESA Africa Chief Executive Officer (CEO), to chair the Board of Directors at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).
Lopokoiyit, a seasoned mobile financial services expert, is set to take the reins of the hospital beginning March 29, 2024, where he will serve for a period of 3 years.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Paragraph 2 (a) of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Board Order, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces appoint Sitoyo Lopokoiyit to be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 29th of March 2024,” reads parts of a gazzette notice.
Transitioning from the helm of one of Africa’s most prominent mobile money platforms, Lopokoiyit brings with him a wealth of experience in managing complex operations and driving innovation in the financial sector.
His tenure at M-PESA Africa, where he oversaw operations across seven key markets, is marked by remarkable milestones, including substantial revenue growth and strategic partnerships with global players like PayPal, Google, Visa, and Ant Financial.
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The MTRH, as the second-largest referral hospital in Kenya, plays a crucial role in providing specialized medical care and services to a diverse patient population.
Ruto Appoints Sitoyo Lopokoiyit Amid Hospital Rows
However, Ruto’s appointment of Lopokoiyit continues to stir controversy, with critics earlier questioning the boards selection process and raising concerns about potential favoritism and lobbying for the position.
Top medical professionals, human rights advocates, and sections of the public voiced their apprehensions over whether merit and requisite qualifications were given due consideration in the list forwarded to the President for appointment.
The scrutiny intensifies against the backdrop of allegations of underhand dealings and unfair practices in the selection of candidates for the prestigious position.
A row had earlier erupted at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital over the ongoing process of picking a new CEO to replace Dr Wilson Aruasa whose tenure ended last month.
Some stakeholders had earlier put it out that fundamental criteria outlined in the Hospital Act and Public Service Commission guidelines may have been disregarded in the selection process.
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List of Names Forwarded for Appointment
The row emerged after the hospital board chaired by Sitoyo Lopokoiyit released the names of 8 candidates who have been shortlisted from a list of 49 who applied for the position.
The eight include Dr Maurice Nyongesa, Dr Everlyne Nyamai, Dr Simon Kibias, Dr John Cheruiyot Chumba and Titus Tarus.
Others shortlisted are Dr Thomas Okwaro and Dr Evans Cheruiyot.
Also on the list was the current acting CEO of the hospital Dr Phillip Kirwa.
Prior to joining Safaricom PLC, Lopokoiyit served as the M-Commerce Director at Vodacom Tanzania PLC, where he led the turnaround strategy for the adoption and execution of M-PESA which resulted in the accelerated growth of the mobile money service in Tanzania.
Lopokoiyot, who describes himself as passionate, energetic and easy-going leader, has delivered major innovations that have revolutionized the global mobile money space and driven financial inclusion such as the world’s first contextual overdraft facility dubbed- Fuliza, and Mshwari loans.
