Nairobi, Kenya – Grace Njoki Mulei, a 61-year-old patient and advocate for better healthcare services, was released on a cash bail of Ksh10,000 today, following her arrest yesterday. Mulei had become a focal point of public discourse after she was detained for storming the Ministry of Health offices to protest the inefficiencies of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Mulei’s arrest came after she and other patients, frustrated by the SHA’s inability to provide promised healthcare services, disrupted a press conference at the Ministry of Health. The SHA, aimed at providing universal health coverage, has been under scrutiny for delays and operational failures which have left many Kenyans, including Mulei, unable to access crucial medical services. Her protest was a loud call for accountability, highlighting her personal struggle – she was at Ladnan Hospital in Eastleigh seeking knee surgery when she was apprehended by individuals claiming to be from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The arrest sparked widespread condemnation from civil society, medical associations, and legal groups in Kenya. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), alongside other organizations like the Kenya Medical Association and the Police Reforms Working Group, criticized the arrest as an infringement on citizens’ rights to peaceful protest and advocacy for improved public services. They demanded her immediate release, arguing that advocating for better healthcare should not be criminalized.
After spending a night in custody, Mulei was released on what many have described as a surprisingly low bail amount, considering the charges initially suggested. Her lawyer, Johnston Daniel Junior, stated that the police were still uncertain about what specific charges to press against her, highlighting the lack of clarity in her arrest. “It’s a waste of time and resources,” he remarked, indicating the confusion surrounding the legal basis for her detention.
Mulei, speaking to the media after her release, claimed she was forced to write a false statement under duress, without being informed of the charges against her. “I was carried by force,” she stated, emphasizing the heavy-handed approach to her arrest. Her case has ignited a debate on the freedom of expression, the right to protest, and the operational state of the SHA.
Public sentiment has been overwhelmingly supportive of Mulei, with many Kenyans using the hashtag #FreeGraceMulei to call for not just her release but also for systemic changes within the SHA to prevent such protests in the future.
This incident has brought to light the broader issues of governance, the implementation of health policies, and the treatment of activists in Kenya. As Mulei awaits further legal proceedings, the focus remains on how the government will respond to the systemic failures of SHA and the public’s right to demand better healthcare services.
