Robert Alai has exposed Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, accusing her of mismanagement and self-promotion at the Ministry of Health.
According to insiders at the ministry, Muthoni has created a toxic work environment, frustrating both senior and junior staff. Even donors and partners working with the ministry are reportedly unhappy with her conduct.
One of the biggest complaints against her is that she frequently comments on issues she is not qualified to address. Normally, updates on public health matters should come from the Director General of Health, but Muthoni rushes to the media to make statements for publicity.
This has caused confusion within the ministry, as her statements often lack technical details and are seen as mere public relations stunts.
To boost her image, Muthoni allegedly hires people on Twitter to push her agenda. Many ministry officials are questioning why she focuses so much on media attention instead of actual work. Furthermore, she has been accused of mistreating staff by calling even junior employees just to yell at them.
She demands updates on matters that she never assigned to them, simply because she wants to be the first to have information and rush to the media.
A major issue linked to Muthoni is her interference with the establishment of the National Public Health Institute (NPHI). This institute is supposed to handle public health issues independently, but she has delayed its formation because it would reduce her control over the ministry’s bu
Public health has reportedly been her cash cow, and she does not want the NPHI to operate independently with its own funding.
Corruption allegations have also surfaced against Muthoni. She has been accused of demanding bribes from donors and partners working with the Ministry of Health. In one instance, she allegedly asked for huge bribes from a partner dealing with Neglected Tropical Diseases.
She even demanded that funds meant for Community Health Promoters be reduced to cater to her personal interests. Her statements to the media have also raised concerns. People within the ministry claim that her updates are filled with complex English but lack any real medical or technical substance. Some suspect that her statements are generated using AI tools like ChatGPT.
After making these public statements, the Director General of Health is left struggling to clarify or address public concerns, since Muthoni’s words often fail to provide clear medical explanations.
The situation at the Ministry of Health under Muthoni’s leadership is becoming untenable. With mounting complaints from staff, donors, and partners, her continued stay in office may further destabilize the ministry.
Her actions are not only harming the ministry’s operations but also sabotaging the government’s efforts in the health sector.
