Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o was on Friday admitted at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu causing a scare among residents and his political coleagues.

Prof Nyong’o was rushed to the hospital and later ended up in the ICU at the largest referral hospital in the region before he underwent a surgical operation on his vertebrae that had been causing him immense pain.

“On Friday, July 14, 2023, in the afternoon, I was admitted and had a very successful spinal surgery at @jootrhkisumu,” said Nyong’o in a tweet.

The ODM Governor on Monday announced that the spinal surgery that was conducted by a team of local and foreign doctors was successful and thanked the medics who were involved.

“Everything has gone extremely well and I am grateful to the hospital CEO, Dr. George Rae and his team for taking very good care of me,” the county boss added.

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Prof Nyong’o lauded JOOTRH for its capacity to handle some serious medical conditions that many Kenyans normally seek further treatment for abroad.

“It is now very clear to me that even with the existing resources, both human and technical, we have the capacity to treat conditions that we sometimes shy away from and end up spending huge personal resources elsewhere.


The surgery was conducted by a team of neurosurgeons from JOOTRH, US and Germany and is the first of its kind to be done at the hospital operated by Kisumu County Government.

The specialised surgery was courtesy of the Kisumu Neuroscience Initiative, was arranged by Dr Bethwel Raore from Atlanta in Georgia; Dr Victor Awuor from Columbus in Ohio and Dr Timothy Ogutu from Dusseldorf, Germany.

Dr Raore and Dr Lee Ogutha joined JOOTRH doctors, anesthesiologists and nurses to perform the successful surgery that saw Nyong’o admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).


“Thank you @jootrhkisumu for literally saving my back!”

Governor Nyong’o had been complaining of back pains and was diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome, a condition in which the tissue stenosis compresses the nerves.

“I was discharged home the next day on Saturday and I am recovering well. This has given me tremendous relief on my nerves, which were compressed,” the governor added.