Dedan Kimathi's widow asks for help to offset Sh1 million hospital bill

Mukami Kimathi, widow of Kenya's freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi. [David Njaaga, Standard]

Mukami Kimathi, the widow of Kenya's freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi, has asked Kenyans of goodwill to contribute and help her offset a Sh1 million hospital bill.

Mukami, 101, was admitted to city hospital in Nairobi on January 5, 2023, with pneumonia symptoms and was treated and discharged on January 12.

The family said Mukami has not been allowed to leave the facility until her bill is cleared.

As of Thursday, January 12, the bill stood at Sh1,045,883 according to hospital records seen by The Standard.

Her daughter, Miriam, said that the family is unable to clear the bill with efforts to reach out to President William Ruto's office and that of his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua for assistance proving futile.

"No assistance was provided. Instead, we were directed to our local Member of Parliament [Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru aka Major Donk], who continued to take us in rounds," she explained.

"We are calling out on Kenyans of goodwill to come to our aid. We are helpless as we cannot afford the medical bill," she added.

Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru aka Major Donk acknowledged the family's contact and promised to act quickly to get Mukami's bills paid.

"I am keenly following up on the matter and soon we will sort it out. I'll consult with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to see how we can get the bill paid," he said.

Efforts to reach out to the hospital for a comment on the matter were futile.