etu Member of Parliament (MP) Geoffrey Wandeto has scoffed at Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale over the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying that chest thumping will not solve a broken healthcare system.
His remarks come a day after the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) suspended the SHA services, citing them as unreliable.
Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Wandeto expressed frustration over the deteriorating state of SHA, accusing the Health Ministry of ignoring glaring systemic issues while focusing on public posturing.
“The current chest thumping by the CS for Health is not helping at all. Hospitals are owed millions, services are being suspended, and the only response we get is media statements and self-congratulations,” he quipped.
According to the lawmaker, SHA started on shaky ground and has continued to spiral.
“We started with registration, which was very difficult. At first, it looked like the system was settling down. But now, hospitals are not receiving payments, and the crisis keeps deepening,” Wandeto said.
The MP further criticised the apparent discrimination in how funds are disbursed to health facilities.
“Certain hospitals are paid hefty amounts, while others with huge claims are taken round and round. This points to a biased and inefficient system,” he revealed.
Intervention
The legislator also slammed Duale’s continued reliance on manual interventions in a digital system, despite the enormous cost to taxpayers.
“We are spending 104 billion shillings. I think this is the most expensive health system on Earth. Yet we still hear the Cabinet Secretary talking about manual verification, whether it was a tooth extraction or something else,” he said.
He dismissed attempts by the government to separate SHA from NHIF, noting that the SHA Transition Act clearly transferred all NHIF assets and liabilities to SHA.
“Anyone trying to draw a line between NHIF and SHA is misleading Kenyans. This is a rebranding, not a reform. The liabilities remain, and so do the problems,” he argued.
The MP has called for urgent intervention to tackle the SHA system inefficiencies and unpaid claims.
“Hospitals want to serve Kenyans, but they have bills to pay. In the process, who suffers? It is ordinary Kenyans.”
