DCI / FILEThe Directorate of Criminial Investigation (DCI) on Thursday arrested suspect Grace Njoki Mulei for allegedly causing disturbance at the Ministry of Health Boardroom last week.
Police said that the suspect was tracked down at Hombe Road, off Juja Road, and was apprehended.
"She has been taken to Upper Hill Police Station, where she will remain in custody until her court appearance scheduled for tomorrow," DCI said in a statement on X.
Mulei, a 61-year-old patient, was one of the people who visited the Ministry of Health offices on January 15, 2025, to protest SHA inequalities and inefficiencies.
Civil society groups have demanded for her release and dropping of charges against her.
The Kenya Medical Association, the Law Society of Kenya, and the Police Reforms Working Group expressed concern that other patients who were with Mulei were at risk.
They emphasised that advocating for improved public health services is not a crime but a civic duty to ensure life-saving health services for a healthier and more equitable society.
“We call for immediate action to address these violations, safeguard the rights of patients, and foster an environment where health services can be accessed freely and without fear,” they said in a statement.
They said such actions are a violation of patients' fundamental rights and a significant barrier to accessing essential healthcare.
“Every individual, regardless of their advocacy or opinions, deserves the right to health without fear of intimidation, harassment, or arrest.,” the statement added.
The Kenya Medical Association, the Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya, an alliance of national and grassroots organizations committed to professional, accountable, and human rights-compliant policing, signed the statement.
The Police Working Group comprises the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), the Kariobangi Paralegal Network, the Defenders Coalition, the Social Justice Centres Working Group (SJCW), Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya), the International Justice Mission (IJM-K), HAKI Africa, Amnesty International Kenya, Women Empowerment Link, Social Welfare Development Programme (SOWED), Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) and International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ Kenya).