Fresh controversy has engulfed the Kenya–United States relations after outspoken governance critic and whistleblower Nelson Amenya claimed that President William Ruto’s administration is secretly negotiating a far-reaching health security agreement with President Donald Trump’s government.
According to Nelson Amenya, the proposed 25-year deal would grant the U.S. government unprecedented, real-time access to Kenya’s health records—a move he argues poses a major threat to the privacy and sovereignty of Kenyan citizens.
In a post on X, Amenya alleged that the agreement is being drafted quietly in Washington DC and could be signed without adequate public participation.
He described the proposal as “one of the most intrusive bilateral arrangements ever attempted by a Kenyan administration,” warning that the country risks surrendering sensitive national data to a foreign government under the guise of strengthening health security.
Amenya claimed the deal would cover the full spectrum of Kenya’s digital health infrastructure, including patient records, disease surveillance systems, biometric health data, and emergency response platforms.
He argued that such access, if granted to a foreign nation, could be misused for intelligence purposes, commercial exploitation, or geopolitical leverage.
The whistleblower further alleged that Kenya’s Ministry of Health has been under pressure from top officials within the Executive to fast-track the negotiations to align with Trump’s renewed push for health-related security partnerships across Africa.
According to him, the signing could take place early next year if public scrutiny does not halt the process.
A collage photo of US president Donald Trump and Kenyan President William Ruto. Photo Courtesy
Amenya’s latest revelations echo his earlier warnings about opaque dealings between Nairobi and Washington—particularly those involving multinational corporate interests and large-scale data-sharing agreements.
His accusations come at a time when Kenyans are increasingly concerned about digital privacy following the rapid expansion of government-linked data systems such as e-citizen, digital ID, and national biometric programs.
Legal and policy experts have also raised questions about whether such an agreement would be constitutional without parliamentary approval.
They argue that the transfer of national health data to a foreign government requires strong legal safeguards, iron-clad data-protection protocols, and transparent oversight mechanisms.
