A 61-year-old patient, Grace Njoki Mulei, has been arrested and denied bail after protesting at the Ministry of Health over the government’s failing Social Health Authority (SHA) system. Mulei, who had joined a group of patients and mothers at the Health Cabinet Secretary’s office on January 15, 2025, to demand urgent action over the collapsing Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), was forcibly taken from Ladnan Hospital today while seeking medical care.
According to witnesses, plainclothes officers identifying themselves as DCI officers stormed the hospital, forcibly removed Mulei, and drove her to Capitol Hill Police Station. She has since been charged with creating a disturbance in a government office and has been denied bail—a move legal experts say violates her constitutional rights.
SHA System in Crisis: Patients Left Helpless
Mulei’s protest was part of growing nationwide anger over the dysfunctional SHA and SHIF, which replaced NHIF but has failed to deliver healthcare services, leaving thousands of Kenyans stranded. Patients have been turned away from hospitals due to delayed payments and system failures, leading to a healthcare crisis that many say is worse than before.
Dr. Edwin Kamau, a health policy analyst, condemned Mulei’s arrest, stating:
“The government is using force to silence the very people it has failed. Patients are dying due to SHA inefficiencies, yet instead of fixing the mess, authorities are arresting those speaking out.”
Human rights groups have also criticized the decision to deny Mulei bail, arguing that it violates Article 49(1)(h) of the Constitution, which guarantees every arrested person the right to be released on bond or bail unless compelling reasons exist.
Public Outrage and Calls for Justice
Mulei is expected to appear in court tomorrow, but her arrest has sparked public outcry, with civil society groups and healthcare activists calling for protests and legal action against the Ministry of Health and security agencies.
“This is intimidation, pure and simple,” said lawyer Martha Wanjiru. “It is outrageous that a sick woman demanding her right to healthcare is treated like a criminal.”
As the SHA crisis deepens, Mulei’s case is now a symbol of government failure and rising authoritarianism, raising urgent questions:
- Will the court uphold her rights and grant her bail?
- Will the government finally acknowledge SHA’s failure and take action?
- Is Kenya witnessing the criminalization of legitimate healthcare protests?
For more on this developing story, stay tuned to Channel 15 News.
