President Ruto responds to Uhuru, defends Linda Jamii as maternal health upgrade
President William Ruto described Linda Jamii as an evolution of Linda Mama, designed to include prenatal, delivery, postnatal care, and support for not just mothers but also spouses and children.
President William Ruto has defended the Kenya Kwanza government’s maternal health program, Linda Jamii, saying it builds on lessons from former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Linda Mama initiative and expands its benefits to reach entire households.
Speaking at Umma University on Tuesday, Ruto explained that the new program improves coverage and offers more comprehensive care compared to its predecessor.
More To Read
- High cost of living remains leading concern for Kenyans – Infotrak survey
- Ruto rebukes Trump’s climate denial at UNGA, says facts are irrefutable
- President Ruto denies Kenya’s involvement in US migrant deportation deals
- Ruto warns UN faces irrelevance without reform
- ‘Pay cash or go without care’: Kenya’s growing healthcare access crisis
- Ruto denies backing Sudan’s RSF, calls allegations ‘propaganda’
He described Linda Jamii as an evolution of Linda Mama, designed to include prenatal, delivery, postnatal care, and support for not just mothers but also spouses and children.
“Linda Mama was good; Linda Jamii is better and broader. It no longer focuses only on mothers but on the whole community,” Ruto said, highlighting the wider scope and enhanced benefits of the new scheme.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale emphasised that the changes do not replace or remove Linda Mama but build on it to provide greater support.
He noted that under Linda Jamii, mothers can now access higher financial benefits and more services, including ICU and High Dependency Unit care when needed.
“No one has scrapped Linda Mama. We have enhanced it to include families and improve care for mothers and children,” Duale said, stressing that over 627,000 mothers have benefited under the Social Health Authority so far.
The debate has been reignited after former President Kenyatta criticised the new program, claiming it is untested and less effective than Linda Mama.
He warned that replacing the old scheme could erode past gains and impose extra burdens on taxpayers. Kenyatta also called for government resources to be used for citizens’ welfare rather than causing conflict.
The two programs differ significantly despite their similar names. Linda Mama, introduced under Jubilee and previously managed by NHIF, focused on free maternal care for mothers and newborns, including antenatal, delivery, and postnatal services.
Linda Jamii, launched in June 2025 under the Social Health Authority, extends coverage to the mother, children, and spouse, and adds advanced services such as ICU care, High Dependency Unit services, and Anti-D serum treatment for Rhesus-negative mothers.
Key improvements under Linda Jamii include standard delivery fees of Sh10,000 for normal deliveries, Sh34,200 coverage for cesarean sections, universal access regardless of public or private facility, and comprehensive coverage for both mother and child in case of complications.
United Democratic Alliance Secretary General Hassan Omar dismissed Kenyatta’s criticism, calling it misleading.
He added that Kenya Kwanza has made notable progress in road construction and other infrastructure, despite inherited pending bills, and emphasised that the government is using locally mobilised resources to complete projects without adding debt.
Top Stories Today
