Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has addressed the public after encountering loud boos during media personality Natalie Githinji’s Endometriosis Awareness Concert at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
The politician was greeted with opposition chants as she took the stage at the event. Comedian and activist Eric Omondi attended the concert alongside thousands of supporters.
Speaking after the incident, Senator Nyamu explained that she anticipated the hostile reception due to the presence of prominent government critics at the gathering.
“Well, I was kind of expecting it because hii event ni ya Eric Omondi and Eric Omondi has been in the forefront kufight government,” she said.
Asked how she processed the crowd’s reaction, the lawmaker stated that she preferred not to engage with the hostility.
“I don’t think I’ve handled it I think I’ve ignored it,” Nyamu stated.
Nyamu emphasized that public hostility would not divert her from her legislative work in Parliament.“It’s not something that has to be embraced by everyone because you’re doing a good job or because you have a vision,” she noted.
Highlighting Gynaecologist Deficit and Lack of Data
The senator explained that her attendance at the concert was intended to gather firsthand experiences from women battling endometriosis to support a proposed motion in the Senate.
She paid tribute to Natalie Githinji for utilizing her public platform to spark national conversations on reproductive health.
“If it was not for Natalie, we would not be having that motion in the Senate,” Nyamu said. She added that Githinji deserved a Head of State Commendation for her advocacy work.
During her interview, Senator Nyamu revealed critical statistics regarding Kenya’s medical capacity to treat endometriosis.
She highlighted that while Kenya has around 700 registered gynecologists nationwide, only five specialists are qualified to perform complex endometriosis surgeries.
“We have only five gynecologists who are able to operate on a woman who needs surgery with endo.”
Nyamu also pointed out that the Ministry of Health currently lacks official national data on the total number of women living with the condition.
“In Kenya we don’t have any endometriosis data,” Nyamu revealed. “How do you plan how do you budget how do you put endo centers all over the country if you don’t know the number?”
Proposed Senate Reforms and Healthcare Coverage
To address these systemic healthcare gaps, Senator Nyamu outlined the specific interventions sought in her legislative proposal.
The Senate motion seeks to compel the Ministry of Health to establish specialized endometriosis treatment centers across Kenya.
It also calls on health insurance providers to offer comprehensive medical cover tailored specifically for endometriosis, rather than dismissing it as routine period pain.
specifically for endometriosis, rather than dismissing it as routine period pain.
“I want to tell her not to stop because now even other women who are going through it quietly now, they are finding the courage to speak,” Nyamu concluded.
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