… The government has also employed 7,000 doctors doubling the number of the medics before 2022 on top of better remuneration for health practitioners. “NHIF had only 8 million registered Kenyans, but the one we have under SHA has risen to 32.3 million Kenyans, and we will not stop …
Audio By VocalizePresident William Ruto during the official opening of the Kenya Health Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi, August 18,2026. [PCS] President William Ruto has accused the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) system of ena …
… On healthcare, Kindiki said the number of Kenyans covered by public medical insurance had increased from eight million under NHIF to 32.2 million under the new system. …
… Under the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) at least 7.9 million households were registered, including 3.7 million in the formal sector. …
… Rather than creating a separate financing mechanism for sickle cell disease, Tanzania incorporated treatment into its broader National Health Insurance Fund, allowing patients to receive care through the country's mainstream health financing system.She noted that while the insura …
… He maintained that the medical insurance has significantly outperformed the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), stating that CHPs are best placed to assess whether the reforms are working. …
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 — President William Ruto has mounted his strongest defence yet of the government’s Social Health Authority (SHA), declaring that the new healthcare system is performing “ten times more” than the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), even as it cont …
… Since taking over healthcare financing through the newly established Social Health Authority, the government has been rolling out reforms aimed at replacing the former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) system with a broader universal health coverage model.President Ruto said …
President William Ruto's administration has undertaken major healthcare reforms including replacing NHIF with the Social Health Authority (SHA), expanding primary healthcare, deploying Community Health Promoters, and expanding digital health systems, with the government reporting millions of SHA registrations, billions in claims payments, and thousands of contracted facilities. The article questions whether these reforms will meaningfully impact the lives of Kenyans without money when illness strikes.
President William Ruto's administration has undertaken major healthcare reforms including replacing NHIF with the Social Health Authority (SHA), expanding primary healthcare, deploying Community Health Promoters, and expanding digital health systems, with the government reporting millions of SHA registrations, billions in claims payments, and thousands of contracted facilities. The article questions whether these reforms will meaningfully impact the lives of Kenyans without money when illness strikes.
At UNGA, Kenya's Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga outlined a four-pillar universal health coverage plan focused on domestic financing, health workforce, medical commodity access, and health system digitisation, framing UHC as economic development rather than welfare to prevent families from impoverishment through medical costs.
An opinion piece argues that taxpayers should not have to pay for mistakes made by the Kenya Revenue Authority's systems, citing the case of Export Trading Company Limited, which was wrongly charged a 35 per cent tax rate by KRA's faulty Simba computer system when importing rice from Pakistan.
President William Ruto unveiled the Kenya Diaspora Impact Platform, a digital tool designed to connect Kenyans abroad with investment opportunities and formalise their contribution to national development. The platform was launched during a presidential meeting with Kenyans in the United States, alongside a joint Declaration of Intent signed by the Kenyan Government, the United Nations, and Equity Group Holdings.
An opinion piece examines a Supreme Court case in which KRA's Simba computer system incorrectly applied tax rates to imports, charging a company 35 per cent instead of the correct 75 per cent, raising the question of whether taxpayers should bear the financial burden when government systems fail.
Four years into his presidency, President William Ruto said his administration has fulfilled a majority of its promises, responding to accusations of economic mismanagement and corruption during a church service in Kisumu County.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on Kenyan voters to assess President William Ruto based on his development record and not the "vengeful narrative" of opponents ahead of next year's election. Kindiki outlined the Kenya Kwanza Administration's performance over four years, arguing Ruto has exceeded critics' expectations in implementing transformative projects aimed at grassroots economic growth and poverty reduction.
President William Ruto has announced that companies awarded mining contracts at Lake Magadi will be required to establish processing and manufacturing facilities in Kenya, as he seeks to end the export of raw minerals. Ruto said the existing Tata Chemicals Ltd contract will not be renewed and that the government will no longer allow a single company to monopolise operations at Magadi.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki addressed more than 20,000 United Democratic Alliance (UDA) polling station officials in Meru County, urging them to champion the ruling party's record and mobilise support ahead of the 2027 General Election. Kindiki described the grassroots officials as crucial party leaders responsible for communicating the Kenya Kwanza administration's achievements to voters at the polling-centre level.
A 2026 Health Summit brought together policymakers, health workers, and stakeholders to assess Kenya's progress toward Universal Health Coverage, with President Ruto presenting a scorecard of his 2022 health manifesto commitments, including the Social Health Authority (SHA) which has enrolled 32.2 million Kenyans to replace the NHIF.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the ruling United Democratic Alliance has grown in strength since forming government in 2022 and claimed UDA is the only party in Kenya with strong presence at polling station level nationwide, urging opponents to step up their efforts.
President William Ruto has accused the defunct National Health Insurance Fund system of enabling theft from sick Kenyans through claims for procedures that never happened, fictitious patients and inflated bills. He called digital health systems essential to closing loopholes and described Universal Health Coverage as one of the government's most consequential social transformation efforts.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has warned that frequent changes to government policies could undermine Kenya's development, urging the country to shield long-term programmes from political interference and focus on building a sustainable national agenda. He cited economic stabilisation under President William Ruto's administration, including inflation below six per cent, $3.2 billion in foreign direct investment last year, and a reduction in the Central Bank lending rate to commercial banks from 13.5 per cent to 8.75 per cent.
The Social Health Authority has enrolled 32.2 million Kenyans, described by officials as a record for health insurance uptake, but an insider reports only about 5 million members are actually remitting premiums to the scheme.
African countries including Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania and Ghana are working to integrate sickle cell disease services into their Universal Health Coverage programmes, with experts emphasizing that sustainable financing, early diagnosis and access to medicines are critical to improving patient outcomes. Health experts said embedding sickle cell care into national health systems and social health insurance schemes rather than relying on donor-funded programmes offers the best opportunity to ensure continuous care.
President William Ruto announced that the Government will begin paying medical insurance for all 107,000 Community Health Promoters under the Social Health Authority this month. The National Government will provide 390 million shillings, with counties expected to contribute a similar amount.
President Ruto and Nairobi Governor Sakaja on Saturday launched Social Health Authority medical cover for 7,820 Community Health Promoters in Nairobi, making them the first group of community health workers in the country to receive comprehensive SHA coverage, and presented a cheque to facilitate their registration and premium payments.
President William Ruto has defended the Social Health Authority (SHA), stating it is performing "ten times more" than the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), citing increased monthly disbursements to health facilities and expanded membership registration. Ruto dismissed proposals to restore NHIF, arguing SHA has advanced the Universal Health Coverage programme despite ongoing criticism over system failures and delayed reimbursements.
President Ruto stated that the Linda Mama maternal healthcare programme has been expanded and renamed Linda Jamii to provide broader healthcare services for expectant mothers, newborns, and families, covering pregnancy through postnatal care with increased government funding under the Social Health Authority.
Kenya has achieved high financial inclusion, with 84.8 per cent of adults accessing formal financial services by 2024, but financial literacy has not kept pace; only 44.1 per cent of adults use more than one formal financial product, and young Kenyans are gaining access to financial tools faster than the knowledge needed to use them well.
President William Ruto said the Sh350 billion National Infrastructure Fund will finance major development projects in water, roads, energy and other strategic infrastructure across the country, including dams for irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions to strengthen food security and agricultural exports.
SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority data shows regulated saccos disbursed Sh2.79 billion in medical loans in Q1 2026, a 31 per cent increase from Sh2.13 billion in Q1 2025. This opinion piece argues the surge reflects weakened community safety nets and signals a troubling shift in the cooperative movement's role away from building economic resilience toward managing immediate healthcare crises.
Dr Brian Lishenga has stepped down as chairman of the Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya, citing an increasingly hostile working relationship with the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority. Lishenga said the relationship has deteriorated to a point where meaningful engagement on issues affecting private healthcare providers and SHA payments is no longer possible.
More than 800 former employees of the defunct National Health Insurance Fund remain unplaced in respective institutions and unenrolled in the payroll, with their fate still uncertain.
Public Health PS Mary Muthoni has urged Kenyans to register for the Social Health Authority, saying it offers inclusive benefits regardless of employment status, unlike the defunct NHIF. She blamed local politics and misinformation for low uptake, noting that only 39 per cent of Kitui County residents have enrolled.
M.P. Shah Hospital has been temporarily suspended from offering services under government-funded health insurance schemes following billing complaints, effective June 23, 2026. The hospital said it will cooperate with the Social Health Authority's investigation.
Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni defended the Social Health Authority's healthcare model as expanding access compared to the defunct NHIF, saying 20 percent benefited under NHIF versus immediate eligibility under SHA. She urged leaders to stop politicizing health matters and praised Community Health Promoters for supporting SHA rollout through registration and preventive services.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that more than 31.2 million Kenyans have registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), replacing the defunct NHIF as part of the government's Universal Health Coverage programme. The transition marks a significant increase from the approximately eight million previously covered under NHIF, supported by 228 Primary Care Networks, 107,831 Community Health Promoters, and 16,810 deployed medical interns.
The Social Health Authority has appointed Winfred Nduku Nthiani as Assistant Director for Corporate Communication following a competitive recruitment process that attracted 100 applicants and narrowed to seven shortlisted candidates interviewed on Wednesday.