Barely a week after his viral exposé on the controversial Kenya–US health cooperation deal, whistleblower Nelson Amenya is facing legal trouble. A group of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) has moved to court accusing him of spreading false and alarming information that they say has put their work and communities at risk.
The CHPs filed the petition on Wednesday, December 10, seeking orders to restrain Amenya from issuing what they describe as misleading, sensational and fabricated claims about the Ksh207 billion agreement signed between Nairobi and Washington.
According to the group, Amenya’s posts created the impression that Kenya had surrendered control of its health system and patient data to the United States allegations they say have no factual basis.
CHPs say misinformation is hurting field work
In their petition, the health promoters told the court that Amenya’s claims have caused fear and suspicion in households where they conduct routine visits.
They reported increased hostility, resistance, and unease during community engagements, with some residents refusing to share basic health information out of fear that it would be accessed by foreign entities.
“Routine data collection has been disrupted, and vital public health programmes have been compromised,” the CHPs stated, adding that the misinformation is now affecting the safety and wellbeing of the communities they serve.
Seeking court orders to stop the posts
The petitioners want the court to compel Amenya to take down all posts related to the health deal and bar him from publishing any further allegations until the matter is heard and resolved.
They argue that curbing the spread of misinformation is necessary to protect Kenyans’ constitutional rights including the right to health, dignity, and access to accurate information.
“As Community Health Promoters, we remain deeply committed to serving our communities with integrity. We urge the public to rely on verified information,” they said.
Background of the dispute
The case comes days after Amenya shared an explosive thread on X on December 2, claiming the Kenya–US deal would give American agencies real-time access to all Kenyan health records.
He further alleged that disease samples obtained from Kenyan patients would be supplied to several US pharmaceutical companies claims that immediately sparked public uproar and political debate.
His exposé coincided with the signing of the framework on December 4 by President William Ruto and US Secretary of State Marc Rubio, adding to the scrutiny already surrounding the multi-billion-shilling health partnership.
The matter now moves to court, where the whistleblower and the community health promoters will face off over what is factual and what is harmful misinformation in one of the most heated public debates in recent weeks.
