US Suspends $1.6 Billion Health Deal with Kenya After Court Blocks Agreement
The United States has suspended a major health cooperation agreement with Kenya worth $1.6 billion after the country’s High Court halted its implementation over data privacy concerns, local media reports confirmed.
The framework agreement, signed on 4 December 2025, was designed to strengthen bilateral health cooperation between the two nations. However, Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued a suspension order following intense public backlash over provisions that would have permitted the transfer of sensitive health and personal data to American authorities.
Court Intervention
The High Court’s decision came after petitioners raised alarms about privacy implications, arguing that the data-sharing clauses potentially violated Kenyans’ constitutional right to privacy. The suspension will remain in place until the court delivers its full determination on the matter.
US Response
In response to the judicial intervention, the US Embassy in Nairobi announced that the pact would be revisited and reworked once the court issues its comprehensive ruling. The embassy emphasised Washington’s commitment to finding a mutually acceptable framework that addresses both health cooperation goals and privacy concerns.
Shifting Policy Landscape
The suspension comes against a backdrop of shifting American foreign policy priorities, with signals from Washington indicating a return to an “America First” approach to international health cooperation. This has raised questions about the future trajectory of US-Kenya bilateral relations, particularly in the health sector.
The $1.6 billion agreement had been hailed as a landmark partnership aimed at strengthening Kenya’s healthcare systems while advancing mutual health security interests. Its suspension represents a significant setback for bilateral health initiatives and underscores growing tensions between international cooperation and data sovereignty concerns.
Stakeholders on both sides now await the High Court’s full determination, which will shape the parameters for any future renegotiation of the suspended framework.
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