‘Suspend SHA Before Causing Irreparable Harm!’ – Senator Omtatah Tells Ruto
Busia Senator and activist Okiya Omtatah has urged the Ministry of Health to suspend the Social Health Authority (SHA) immediately following Auditor General Nancy Gathungu’s exposé.
The AG stated that SHA is a Ksh104 billion corruption scheme that the government neither owns nor controls, risking the billions of Kenyans’ contributions to healthcare.
Following the revelation, Omtatah presented three demands to the ministry, including SHA’s immediate suspension pending a thorough examination into its evident operational flaws.
Furthermore, Omtatah is calling for a full revamp of SHA’s framework, as well as the prosecution of individuals guilty of the alleged big theft, in order to prevent repeated pillage of public resources.
“These are not mere teething problems; they are systemic failures that undermine public confidence and threaten the future of Universal Health Coverage in Kenya,” the Senator noted.
“Continuing with this broken scheme will cause irreparable harm, betraying the trust of millions who deserve a transparent, accountable, and functional healthcare system, not a corruption cartel disguised as progress,” he said.
The Ministry of Health must act urgently to immediately suspend the Social Health Authority (SHA) following its glaring operational failures and the damning revelations in the Auditor General’s recent report. Instead of advancing universal healthcare, SHA has become a…
— Okiya Omtatah Okoiti (@OkiyaOmtatah) March 5, 2025
According to Omtatah, the terrible realities of SHA have led to a broken system that, rather than furthering universal healthcare, exploits Kenyans and facilitates large-scale corruption.
In a detailed investigation of the scheme, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu revealed that 2.5% of member contributions to SHA were withheld and placed in an escrow account with no transparency and control.
She also stated that the SHA project continues to encounter various obstacles, such as uncompetitive procurement processes, a lack of payment agreements, and unfavourable contract provisions.
Her research has prompted increased requests from stakeholders, including leaders and the general public, to cancel the SHA agreement and conduct additional oversight of the project’s governance and financial management.
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Along with Omtatah, former LSK President Nelson Havi has questioned the system, claiming that SHA is a criminal enterprise employed by the president to gather funds for paying MPs.
Meanwhile, Justin Muturi, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development, stated that he had previously advised the public to be cautious about how the Ksh104 billion system contract was performed.
President William Ruto denied that the government spent Ksh104 billion to purchase the SHA system.
“There is not a single cent from the government that will be used to pay for any system. Most of the money owned by the NHIF was being misappropriated by the brokers in the old NHIF system,” Ruto on Tuesday.
‘Suspend SHA Before Causing Irreparable Harm!’ – Senator Omtatah Tells Ruto
