Former Chief Justice David Kenani Maraga has strongly criticised the state of healthcare in Kiambu County following reports by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) alleging 136 infant deaths within four months.
In a statement shared on his X handle on Friday, October 3, 2025, Maraga described the deaths — which occurred amid the county’s prolonged doctors’ strike — as “a national tragedy”. He said the situation was unconscionable, noting that families were being forced to mourn because of what he called a broken health system.
“It is unconscionable that on the 127th day of the Kiambu doctors’ strike, at least 136 newborns have lost their lives in our public hospitals. Let that sink in,” Maraga stated.
Failure of Leadership
The former Chief Justice faulted both the county and national governments, accusing them of failing to uphold the 2010 Constitution’s guarantees of dignity and the right to the highest attainable standard of health. He said patients were being met with collapsed services and a silent bureaucracy, warning that the crisis reflects leadership failure beyond Kiambu.
“This is not just a failure of Kiambu County leadership. It is a regime failure right from the national level,” he said.
Criticism of Social Health Authority
Maraga also questioned the implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA), arguing that rather than improving access to care, it has created inefficiencies and added another layer of bureaucracy.
“The so-called managed healthcare system is anything but managed. Instead of saving lives, SHA has become another layer of inefficiency and political talk detached from the suffering on the ground,” he remarked.
Call for Compassionate Politics
Concluding his statement, Maraga urged for a reset in governance, insisting that Kenya must return to “politics of compassion” that prioritise the dignity and lives of citizens.
“We are angry because a child dying daily as a result of political failure is unacceptable. This government is incapable of guaranteeing the most basic right, the right to life,” he declared.
The remarks come at a time of mounting public pressure on both levels of government as the doctors’ strike in Kiambu stretches past four months, disrupting critical healthcare services and intensifying the debate on Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
