Outrage Over Arrest of Grace Njoki Mulei After Healthcare Protest.

The arrest of 61 year old Grace Njoki Mulei at Ladnan Hospital in Eastleigh, Nairobi, has been condemned by the civil society organizations, professional bodies, and human rights advocates all over Kenya. Mulei is an advocate of accessible and efficient healthcare and was arrested just days after participating in a protest at Afya House, Nairobi. The protest highlighted inefficiencies and alleged corruption in the State Health Insurance system that has faced criticism for failure to serve millions of Kenyans
Grace Mulei was among hundreds of protesters who took to the streets demanding accountability and reforms in the SHA system which has been marred by claims of mismanagement, delayed payments to healthcare providers and a lack of transparency altogether. The protest at Afya House, the headquarters of Kenya’s Ministry of Health, was a call to action for the government to take responsibility for these systemic issues that disproportionately affect low-income families and vulnerable populations.
Grace Njoki Mulei was arrested on 22 January 2025 at Ladnan Hospital, where she had gone for a routine medical appointment. According to eyewitnesses, plainclothes police officers arrested her without producing a warrant. The motive for her arrest was not immediately clear, but it has since been related to her role in organizing and participating in the protest.
The arrest of Mulei was condemned strongly by the Kenya Medical Association and the Law Society of Kenya, terming the arrest an attack on freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly. The two organisations, in a joint statement, noted that the action of Mulei was protected under the Constitution of Kenya that guarantees the right to protest and petition the government.
Targeting those who exercise their constitutional rights sets a very dangerous precedent for democracy and human rights in Kenya,” the statement read. “We demand her immediate release and an investigation into the circumstances of her arrest.
Other powerful civil society organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya, Transparency International Kenya, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission, have also weighed in similarly. Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director Irúngu Houghton joined the criticism of what appeared to be a government crackdown on activists and called on respect for the rule of law.
“Arresting citizens for holding the government accountable is a violation of their rights and undermines public trust in state institutions,” Houghton said.
Transparency International Kenya decried the larger concerns in the SHA system, noting that anti-corruption whistleblowers and activists like Mulei remain key to the unearthing of corruption, and the promotion of reforms. The warning was that this would make others shy away from speaking out against inefficiencies in public systems.
Social media in Kenya has been abuzz following the arrest of Mulei as people express outrage with a spate of tweets accompanying hashtags #FreeNjoki and #JusticeForNjoki.
Many have called on the Ministry of Health to address the issues raised during the protest rather than targeting activists.
Lawyers express concern that the arrest of Mulei can mean a lot more for civil liberty in Kenya. The Law Society of Kenya has promised legal representation for Mulei to see to it that its legality is brought into the courts. Other political luminaries and the opposition have expressed their views-accusing the government of repression of dissent by not taking interest in the proper cause ailing the health departments.
The arrest of Grace Njoki Mulei has put in the spotlight Kenya’s systemic failure in the healthcare sector and how the government responds to public dissent. With increasing calls for her release, this incident serves as an important reminder that protecting fundamental rights requires solving the root causes of public frustration. The next few days will be quite crucial in determining the course of action to be taken in deciding not only the fate of Mulei but also that of civic freedoms in Kenya.