Kenya Health Official to Drop Case Against Elderly Protester.
Kenya's Medical Services official promised Thursday to withdraw charges against a woman who disrupted a health minister's press event.
Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai faced questions from lawmakers in Naivasha about the arrest of Grace Njoki, 61. She had entered a press briefing to protest problems with the Social Health Authority.
"The Ministry of Health filed the complaint for trespassing and causing a disturbance," Kimtai told MPs. He pledged to drop the case "in the interest of the ministry's image."
Parliament's Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah pressed Kimtai about who ordered Njoki's arrest. "Systems have errors and mistakes," Ichung'wah said, noting that Kenyatta National Hospital later agreed to address her concerns.
The police released Njoki on a 10,000 shilling bail after her January 15 arrest. She had joined other patients at Afya House to protest SHA service problems.
"The first person I would have charged was the security officer," Ichung'wah told Kimtai, questioning why officials targeted an elderly woman raising healthcare issues.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said they arrested Njoki for disrupting activities at the Health Ministry boardroom during Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa's media briefing.
Kenya's Medical Services official promised Thursday to withdraw charges against a woman who disrupted a health minister's press event.
Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai faced questions from lawmakers in Naivasha about the arrest of Grace Njoki, 61. She had entered a press briefing to protest problems with the Social Health Authority.
"The Ministry of Health filed the complaint for trespassing and causing a disturbance," Kimtai told MPs. He pledged to drop the case "in the interest of the ministry's image."
Parliament's Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah pressed Kimtai about who ordered Njoki's arrest. "Systems have errors and mistakes," Ichung'wah said, noting that Kenyatta National Hospital later agreed to address her concerns.
The police released Njoki on a 10,000 shilling bail after her January 15 arrest. She had joined other patients at Afya House to protest SHA service problems.
"The first person I would have charged was the security officer," Ichung'wah told Kimtai, questioning why officials targeted an elderly woman raising healthcare issues.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said they arrested Njoki for disrupting activities at the Health Ministry boardroom during Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa's media briefing.
