Although Mr Murage pleaded guilty to the offence and was handed a non-custodial sentence by a magistrate’s court, his crime has elicited a rare show of public approval on social media. Hours to his sentencing on Tuesday, there was no shortage of people volunteering to pick the hospital bill or pay the court fine, with publicity-hungry politicians at the front of the queue. Under President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, maternity services in public health facilities have been officially free of charge since 2013. The Treasury has regularly announced budgetary allocations to the free maternity programme. Mr Murage, 22, and his wife probably woke up to vote back Mr Kenyatta for a second term in office on account of such campaign promises.

Source: Daily Nation February 23, 2019 20:37 UTC