NAIROBI, Kenya – With less than a year in office, Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa appears to be someone who is between a rock and a hard place.
CS Barasa assumed office on August 8, 2024, when the country’s health sector was sick and needed urgent attention from her.
The CS, upon taking her seat at Afya House, needed to come out with new strategies to roar a dying yet important sector in the country back to life.
When her boss, President William Ruto, signed the health bills in October 2023, it became the most decorated milestone in the health sector just under a year after he rose to power.
One of the Acts that came into force was the Social Health Insurance Act, which paved the way for the creation and operationalisation of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Y News knows that after being implemented, SHA replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
However, after taking the driver’s seat, CS Barasa has come under sharp criticism for failing to ensure a seamless transition.
When she came into office, the court had declared the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) unconstitutional.
Two weeks ago, CS Mulongo sat calmly next to her Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni as the legislators led by their Leader of Majority Aaron Cheruiyot put her on the spot for the shortcomings in her ministry.
Why Senator Aaron Cheruiyot took issue with CS Deborah Barasa
Earlier, CS Mulongo was in pains to explain to the lawmakers the challenges facing her ministry and, in particular, the hurdles faced by SHA.
“Employers claim they have paid, but they haven’t remitted. So, again, we are brought on board and told that we are not offering SHA services yet; the concern is on the employer’s side. So, we are also emphasising and negotiating in ensuring the employer’s remittance so that we can improve on the noise that is out there,” said Mulongo.
However, Senator Cheruiyot couldn’t hear any of it. When he took to the floor of the House, the Kericho senator told the embattled CS that he was disappointed by the conduct of her ministry.
“The CS and her two PSs have treated this House with a lot of contempt, and that is not something that I take lightly as the Majority Leader in this House. The fact that they missed a midterm Review meeting in Naivasha is a big shame. How can you continue to interact with colleagues whose only interest in the health matters is the budget allocation to your ministry?” Cheruiyot fired back at the CS.
According to Senator Cheruiyot, the Ministry of Health’s top leadership has failed to interact with the Senate in the manner it ought to.
“If there is a big failure, CS, that I want you to register as you leave this House, forget about SHIF and SHA as much as those are important issues, is that you have failed to lead your ministry to have a serious engagement with the Senate of the Republic of Kenya,” added the senator.
And with this, Senator Cheruiyot maintained that he holds no one else responsible other than the CS.
“You need to work better with a House that passes laws. Come and engage with the representatives of the people to tell you the challenges that the people are facing,” added Senator Cheruiyot.
According to sources, CS Mulongo is among at least four CSs who could be dropped to create room for the appointment of allies of ODM leader Raila Odinga following his move to join the broad-based government.
This is in line with a pact between President William Ruto and Raila almost three weeks ago that saw them pen a ten-point agenda aimed at fostering national unity and addressing long-standing governance challenges.
How CS Barasa is likely to remain in the Kenya Kwanza Cabinet
However, some sources privy to the matter indicate that Mulongo may not be shown the door from the Cabinet as she is likely to be moved to a ‘more relaxed’ docket such as the Ministry of Gender that has remained vacant since the National Assembly rejected President Ruto’s nominee Stela Langat Soi in August 2024.
Meanwhile, CS Barasa this week appeared to get a lease of life after a group of leaders from her Bungoma County backyard came to her defence.
The leaders argue that the region benefitted from government appointments due to their efforts in supporting the Kenya Kwanza administration during elections.
They urged senior government officials to respect the community and allow leaders from the region to serve the people.
Kabuchai MP, Majimbo Kalasinga, who shot the first salvo, said they were not in government by design.
“This government we are talking about of Kenya Kwanza, we are not guests. We formed it, and we worked for it. We are part of it, and we have shares if that is so. It is funny that a CS can make an appointment, and a PS can revoke it. Where ever has it happened? You cannot frustrate someone like that. Can’t she (CS Barasa) even appoint someone?” posed Kalasinga.
In January, tensions peaked when PS Harry Kimtai (Medical Services) appointed former Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) boss Andrew Mulwa to lead the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP).
However, the decision was swiftly overturned by CS Barasa, further fuelling the power struggle within the ministry.
Why Bungoma MPs are reading mischief in CS Barasa’s tribulations
But while addressing the press at Parliament Buildings, the lawmakers threatened to expose individuals allegedly working to undermine CS Barasa in what they termed an attempt to take over her position.
“We know those people behind the scenes, and very soon we are going to name them, and this time we are just warning them. Leave the CS alone so that she can work,” warned Tongaren MP John Chikati.
Sirisia MP John Waluke claimed the SHA is being “misrepresented” by some leaders across the political divide despite its intended benefits.
“The monies were stolen from NHIF, and that is why you see them come for SHA. All the time they are complaining that SHA is not working; SHA is working, and we can even see it,’ said Waluke.
Y News understands that Barasa is an infectious disease expert with over 18 years of experience in the healthcare industry and health programmes. She is also an Internal Medicine physician and infectious Disease Expert at the World Health Organisation.
The CS replaced Susan Nakhumicha on August 8, 2024, who was dismissed in July 2024 following the anti-government protests that rocked the country.
Nakhumicha was sent packing alongside other ministers after Kenyans expressed dissatisfaction with the government.
Following her dismissal, Nakhumicha said that due to the uniqueness of her name, most people still identified her as the Cabinet Secretary for Health, which made it hard for her to interact freely with people.
