Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga has termed the arrest of a woman who stormed Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa’s presser as “wrong and unnecessary".
In a remark posted on X, the governor said authorities
should listen and address complaints raised by Grace Njoki Mulei about the
Social Health Authority (SHA).
“We should listen and address the complaints she raised about SHA. Any transitional system must have issues that require continuous improvement,” she said.
Wanga’s remarks come hot on the heels of a demand by Civil society to drop charges against Mulei.
The Kenya Medical Association, the Law Society of Kenya, and the Police Reforms Working Group further expressed concern that other patients who were with Mulei are 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.
Mulei, who was one of the women who stormed Barasa's press briefing at Afya House last week, has since been released on a Sh10,000 police cash bail.
It follows her arrest at Ladnan Hospital in Nairobi on Thursday night while she sought medical services.
A statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations
(DCI) on Thursday night stated that Njoki was arrested for causing a
disturbance at the Ministry of Health Boardroom.
"A suspect has been arrested following reports of a disturbance at the Ministry of Health Boardroom at the Capital Hill Police Station," the statement read in part.
Njoki, a 61-year-old nurse, was among the patients who visited the Ministry of Health offices on January 15, 2025, to protest SHA’s inefficiencies.
Njoki questioned why the scheme was not working; hence forcing patients to be stranded at hospitals.
Civil society organisations said actions by the DCI 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,” their statement added.
