Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has once again stepped into the spotlight for his philanthropy — this time by clearing hospital bills amounting to Sh1.6 million to secure the release of more than 100 mothers detained at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital’s maternity ward over unpaid delivery fees.
The mothers — some with newborns just days old — had been stranded for weeks, unable to leave the hospital after giving birth because they couldn’t afford their medical bills.
Moved by a TV Report
Sonko said he decided to act after watching a televised report exposing the mothers’ plight.
“I saw the story on TV about mothers being detained for unpaid bills,” Sonko said.
“Later, a doctor called me — his name is Mbole — and asked if I could intervene. I gave it two days to see if the situation would be resolved, but when I checked again, nothing had changed. So, I came personally to help.”
Arriving unannounced around 3 a.m. on Sunday, the former governor toured the overcrowded ward, finding women sharing beds and clutching newborns wrapped in thin sheets.
He requested each mother’s name and the amount owed — ranging from Sh5,000 to over Sh100,000 — before depositing Sh1.6 million directly into the hospital’s Equity Bank account on Monday morning.
“No Mother Should Suffer After Bringing Life”
Sonko expressed frustration that many of the detained women lacked Social Health Authority (SHA), formerly NHIF, coverage — meaning they couldn’t claim maternity benefits.
“Many of these women didn’t have SHA cards,” he explained.
“Unfortunately, you can’t get covered retroactively — you must register before delivery. No mother should suffer or be detained after bringing life into the world.”
Sonko Faults County Government
The former governor criticized Mama Lucy Hospital and the Nairobi County Government for failing to ensure mothers were registered for health insurance before admission.
“It’s true hospitals need to charge for services, but times are tough. The County should have established a desk to make SHA registration mandatory before admission — unless one pays cash,” he said.
Transport and Shopping for Freed Mothers
In addition to settling the bills, Sonko provided transport and shopping for the freed mothers, arranging four minibuses to ferry them home by Monday noon.
Images and videos from the scene showed emotional mothers expressing gratitude as they finally left the hospital with their newborns.
Background
This is not the first time Sonko has come to the aid of struggling patients. The former governor, known for his charitable acts, has previously paid medical bills for accident victims and supported underprivileged families across the country through the Sonko Rescue Team.
