In an unprecedented move, Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has threatened to revoke the citizenship, deport, and prosecute prominent businessman and former MP Swarup Mishra, owner of Mediheal Hospital Group. This follows explosive allegations linking Mishra’s Eldoret-based facility to an international organ trafficking syndicate uncovered by a major German media investigation.
Stern Warnings and Swift Fall from Grace
Speaking on Friday, August 1st, after the adoption of a damning independent committee report, a visibly angered Duale issued a blistering ultimatum to Mishra: “If it means us revoking that citizenship, because your citizenship is not by birth, we will revoke the citizenship, close your hospitals, and we will deport you.” Duale cited evidence of the hospital’s “unlawful undertakings” and vowed decisive government action.
The scandal triggered Mishra’s immediate dismissal as Chair of the Kenya Biovax Institute by President William Ruto, stripping him of a key government role.
The German Exposé: Exploitation on a Global Scale
The crisis erupted after a joint investigation by Germany’s Deutsche Welle, ZDF, and Der Spiegel revealed Kenya as a hub for an organ trafficking ring. Their report detailed how Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret allegedly served as the operating site for illegal kidney transplants.
The scheme preyed on vulnerability at both ends:
- Desperate Donors: Young Kenyans, lured by payments as low as $4,000 (approx. Ksh 518,120), were allegedly exploited. One donor described being transported by a middleman and pressured to sign consent forms in English, a language he didn’t understand.
- Wealthy Recipients: Primarily from countries like Germany, recipients reportedly paid up to $200,000 (approx. Ksh 25.9 million) for the life-saving organs.
Accusations of Intimidation and “Culture of Impunity”
Duale went further, accusing the former Kesses MP of actively trying to derail the probe: “You cannot come to our country 20 years ago, with a bag, you make money, you sell our organs, you become an MP, you develop a culture of impunity, then you come here and threaten us?” He referenced missing young donors and alleged bribes, declaring, “We have evidence.”
The CS revealed that despite prior alarms raised by local Kenyan health administrators, no action had been taken against the hospital, hinting at Mishra’s purported “powerful connections and significant influence among Kenya’s elite.”
Hospital Denials and Government Action
Mediheal Hospital has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining all organ transplant operations were legal and conducted with full donor consent.
However, the government is moving beyond warnings. Duale confirmed that concrete actions are now being taken against both the hospital and Mishra, including a comprehensive audit and investigation of the facility’s operations. The threat of citizenship revocation, deportation, prosecution, and hospital closures hangs heavily over the embattled tycoon as Kenya grapples with one of its most high-profile medical scandals.
