On 23rd January 2025, Grace Njoki Mulei, a retired nurse, was arrested at a protest outside Afya House in Nairobi. The reason? As the number of angry Kenyans going to SHA grew, so did her determination to make them answer the question that most irritated her. Everyone was sick of this. After all, who wants a health system that doesn't work?
The Social Health Authority was supposed to clean up the mess in Kenya's health care. Yet it has been nothing short of a calamity. With treatment postponed, supplies missing, and paperwork never-ending. the system fails everywhere.
A few women, including Njoki, took to Afya House to demand answers. The frustration of mothers, patients, and healthcare workers boiled over. A mother, denied care after a C-section. A man, fighting for NHIF benefits. Stories like these were all too familiar. The protest grew larger. Everyone wanted change.
Grace, with her 30 years of nursing experience, knew better than most how broken the system was. She wasn’t going to stay quiet. So, she joined the protest, stepping up alongside other women, disrupting a meeting that was supposed to bring solutions. Her aim? To make the government listen. To show the suffering of ordinary Kenyans who were being ignored.
It wasn’t long before things took a turn. Grace was arrested at Ladnan Hospital. According to her son, George, she made a panicked call saying she was being taken away by what appeared to be DCI officers. George rushed to Capitol Hill Police Station, hoping to find answers. Instead, they were met with stone walls. No information, no access.
Her family’s frustration grew. They couldn’t get close to Grace. George, in particular, was desperate. “Why can’t I see my mother?” he asked. The lack of transparency only fueled their concerns. They feared for Grace’s safety, wondering how she was being treated behind closed doors.
Grace was charged with causing a public disturbance. But was she really just stirring trouble? Or was she simply standing up for people who had no voice left? No one had answers, and Grace’s family was left in limbo. The emotional toll was devastating.
SHA's Big Promise, Greater Woes
Kenyans took to social media, expressing outrage. The hashtag #JusticeForNjoki went viral. “How safe are we if we can’t speak up for our rights?” people asked. The outrage wasn’t just about Njoki—it was about the failing healthcare system that’s hurting everyone.
President William Ruto addressed the issue. He admitted the SHA system wasn’t perfect but promised improvements. He assured Kenyans that the government was working on it. Yet, for many, those promises seemed hollow. What good is a promise if it doesn’t fix the problem right now?
Grace Njoki Mulei’s arrest has become a symbol of what’s wrong in Kenya’s healthcare system. Her family is fighting for justice, but the bigger fight is for real reform. SHA needs fixing, and the Kenyan people need answers. The question is: will the government listen, or will more protests be needed