Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has once again demonstrated his philanthropic spirit, paying KSh1.6 million to settle the hospital bills of more than 100 mothers who had been detained at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital’s maternity ward due to unpaid fees.
Many of these women, some with newborns just days old, had been held at the facility for weeks, unable to leave after giving birth because they could not afford their medical expenses.
Sonko explained, “I saw the story on TV about mothers being detained for unpaid bills. Later, a doctor named Mbole called me and asked if I could help. I waited two days to see if the situation would change, but when it didn’t, I came personally.”
The rescue unfolded in the early hours of Sunday morning, when Sonko arrived at the hospital quietly at around 3 a.m., wearing a hoodie to avoid attracting attention. Inside the overcrowded maternity ward, he encountered mothers,some cradling infants wrapped in thin sheets,sharing beds, and waiting anxiously for a way out.
Determined to make a direct impact, Sonko spoke with each mother individually, collected a list of their outstanding bills ,ranging from KSh5,000 to over KSh100,000,and then deposited KSh1.6 million into the hospital’s Equity Bank account to clear the debts. “Many of these women didn’t have National Health Insurance (SHA) cards,” he noted. “Unfortunately, you can’t get covered retroactively. No mother should suffer or be detained after bringing life into the world.”
Sonko called out both the hospital and the Nairobi County Government for failing to ensure expectant mothers were registered for SHA coverage before delivery, emphasizing the responsibility of health institutions to guide women through the process. He warned that detaining new mothers in overcrowded wards poses serious health and psychological risks. “Hospitals need funds to operate, but we must also acknowledge the tough economic times Kenyans are facing,” Sonko said. “The County should have made SHA registration mandatory before admission,this would have prevented such cases.”
The situation had drawn the attention of women’s rights groups and community activists, who had staged demonstrations outside Mama Lucy Hospital, demanding the County’s intervention and the release of the detained mothers. “Some mothers were sharing beds with their babies. We had been pleading for help,and finally, Sonko answered that call,” said one activist.
In addition to clearing the bills, Sonko arranged transport and shopping for the mothers, providing four minibuses to ferry them and their babies home on Monday morning. Many mothers, overcome with emotion, wept and cheered upon receiving the news of their release. For them, this was more than just a financial rescue,it was the restoration of their dignity, hope, and humanity.
Sonko’s latest intervention adds to his long record of philanthropy. Through his Sonko Rescue Team, he has provided emergency response, ambulance services, school fees, and funeral assistance to thousands in low-income communities.
He has previously paid hospital bills for detained patients at public institutions like Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi Hospital, donated food and cash to drought-affected families, sponsored needy students, and distributed sanitizers and food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Sonko’s political career has been marked by controversy, his hands-on involvement in humanitarian efforts continues to earn him admiration from ordinary Kenyans. As the freed mothers left Mama Lucy Hospital with their babies, the message was clear: acts of kindness still have the power to change lives.
