Grace Njoki Mulei, a 61-year-old advocate for healthcare reform, was arrested on the evening of Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Ladnan Hospital in Eastleigh.
The arrest occurred just days after Mulei and other citizens staged a protest at the Ministry of Health on January 15, 2025, demanding accountability and reforms in the Social Health Authority (SHA), which has faced claims of corruption and inefficiency.
CCTV footage has emerged showing the moment several police officers stormed the hospital and forcibly arrested Mulei.
The 2-minute, 51-second clip begins with Mulei arriving at Ladnan Hospital, where her family lawyer, Johnstone Daniel Jnr, said she had gone to schedule a surgery.
The footage shows Mulei being approached by a woman, believed to be a plainclothes officer dressed in a feminine suit, along with two casually dressed men, also suspected to be plainclothes officers.
They confronted Mulei while she was in the hospital bay talking to medical staff.
The three were seen engaging Mulei in a conversation that quickly escalated.
Shortly after, another woman, also believed to be a plainclothes officer, joined the group, and they surrounded Mulei.
Moments later, armed, uniformed police officers, both male and female, swarmed the hospital bay and forcibly removed Mulei.
CCTV footage from outside the facility captured multiple officers bundling Mulei into a waiting Subaru vehicle, with dozens of other officers providing escort.
The video also showed heavily armed men, believed to be plainclothes officers, stationed outside the hospital. These individuals carried AK-47 rifles and other weapons.
Grace Mulei’s lawyer
Mulei’s family lawyer, Johnstone Daniel Jnr, later addressed the media outside Ladnan Hospital, where the arrest took place.
Daniel criticized the timing and manner of the arrest, describing it as inhumane, given that Mulei had gone to the hospital to schedule knee surgery.
He also complained about the sheer number of police officers sent to arrest a 61-year-old sick woman whose only crime was to complain about SHA inefficiencies.
“This is a woman who came here to arrange for an operation on her leg tomorrow. She was consulting with her doctor today to finalize the details. It is beyond humanity to think that officers would step in with a contingent of 12 to 15 officers over charges that could not lead to more than six months’ imprisonment,” he lamented.
The manner of her arrest and the involvement of a large contingent of officers sparked outrage among human rights groups, professional bodies, and civic organizations.
In a joint statement, the Kenya Medical Association, Law Society of Kenya, Police Reforms Working Group, Amnesty International Kenya, and others condemned the arrest as a gross violation of Mulei’s rights.
“Every individual, regardless of their advocacy or opinions, deserves the right to health without fear of intimidation, harassment, or arrest,” the statement read.
“Advocating for improved public health services is not a crime. It is a civic duty to ensure life-saving health services for a healthier and more equitable society.
The coalition called for Mulei’s immediate release and the dropping of all charges against her.
They also demanded a thorough investigation into the actions of the officers involved and urged the government to prioritize addressing inefficiencies in the SHA/SHIF to guarantee equitable access to healthcare for all Kenyans.
Mulei’s arrest has reignited debate over Kenya’s healthcare system, particularly the management of the SHA/SHIF.
Critics argue that the fund, intended to provide affordable healthcare to millions of Kenyans, has failed in its mandate due to corruption and mismanagement.
Mulei and other protesters have accused the government of neglecting citizens’ needs while tolerating systemic inefficiencies.
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