Gachagua Slams ‘Rushed’ NHIF-to-SHA Transition, Calls It ‘Pure Theft of Public Funds’
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has fiercely criticized the Kenyan government for the hastily executed transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA), accusing the administration of rushing the process without adequate justification. The transition, which began in early October, has faced significant public backlash, particularly over its limited benefits and the widespread complaints from Kenyans struggling to access healthcare services under the new system.
Gachagua, who was impeached from his position in October, questioned the rationale behind such a rapid rollout, arguing that the existing NHIF system could have been improved at a much lower cost. According to him, it would have only required between Ksh.700 million and Ksh.800 million to upgrade the NHIF system to make it compliant, a stark contrast to the Ksh.104 billion cost of the new SHA program. He called the rushed transition a “pure theft of public funds,” suggesting that the focus was on the enormous financial expenditure rather than improving healthcare for Kenyans.
The former deputy president also criticized the government’s tactics in coercing Kenyans into enrolling in the new program, claiming that the public was being intimidated and blackmailed into registration. He emphasized that a genuinely beneficial program would have attracted voluntary sign-ups, without the need for forceful methods like making school registration dependent on SHA participation.
Further, Gachagua alleged that the rollout of SHA was tainted by conflicts of interest, citing involvement of spouses of members from President William Ruto’s economic advisory council, though he did not provide specific names. Despite these concerns, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has defended the new system, claiming that services are being offered and that the primary issue lies in community sensitization.
The SHA system, rebranded as “Taifa Care” by President Ruto, requires all Kenyans to contribute 2.75% of their income, with a minimum payment of Ksh.300. However, critics argue that the government has not done enough to address the concerns of the public, and many remain dissatisfied with the transition from NHIF.
Gachagua Slams ‘Rushed’ NHIF-to-SHA Transition, Calls It ‘Pure Theft of Public Funds’
