Lawyer and political commentator Willis Otieno has blamed President William Ruto for the Social Health Authority’s (SHA) failure to deliver affordable healthcare to Kenyans.
In a statement shared on his X account on Saturday, September 6, 2025, Otieno highlighted that ordinary citizens are still struggling to access medical services, despite government claims that the SHA program is working.
“We’re here raising millions for a child’s medical care while Ruto, Duale, and the rest of the government bloggers keep claiming SHA is working. If it were truly working, Kenyans wouldn’t be forced to beg for treatment,” Otieno said.
His comments came after Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi joined a fundraiser for a young girl named Naswa, pledging Ksh300,000 towards her Ksh1.2 million medical expenses.
The SHA was established in 2024 to replace the troubled National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which was disbanded after years of corruption and mismanagement. However, the authority has faced similar problems, including ghost hospitals, inflated patient numbers, and duplicate claims.
In March 2025, SHA disbursed Ksh11.4 billion to hospitals across the country. Subsequent audits revealed irregularities, leading to the suspension of 40 hospitals and 12 medical practitioners by August. Current investigations have now identified 85 facilities with more than Ksh3 billion in questionable claims.
Civil society groups and opposition leaders have called for the resignation of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi, accusing them of presiding over a program that has drained billions of shillings.
Despite the controversies, President Ruto continues to defend SHA, insisting it is transforming healthcare access and pointing to millions of registered citizens and billions in paid bills. Critics, however, argue that the program’s benefits remain largely theoretical, with many Kenyans still forced to fundraise for essential medical treatment.
