SIAYA, Kenya – President William Ruto has vowed to crack down on corruption in government, warning that officials opposed to the newly introduced e-procurement system will have no place in his administration.
Speaking on Sunday during a service at St Peter’s ACK Cathedral in Alego Usonga, Siaya County—the backyard of opposition leader Raila Odinga—Ruto said digital procurement will end inflated pricing and open public spending to scrutiny.
“There are people who want to stick to the old ways, where the government buys a product worth Sh2 at Sh10,” the President said. “Any officials not ready to embrace e-procurement can as well leave. They will not stop us from ensuring resources are used properly.”
The electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) platform, launched in April, will be the sole channel for all state procurement from the 2025/26 financial year.
Ruto said the system will allow Kenyans to see how their money is spent, closing loopholes for graft and wastage.
The President also turned his guns on corruption in the health sector, pledging to recover funds lost under the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and ensure accountability in the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
“We are telling those who think the theft they were doing at the NHIF can be replicated at SHIF that they are daydreaming,” Ruto said. “Any hospital—whether public, private or faith-based—if they have stolen NHIF money, they will pay it back and we will prosecute them.”
He revealed that SHIF’s new digital monitoring system had flagged irregularities that went undetected under NHIF, including a disputed Sh30 billion in pending hospital claims.
“The system we have introduced is exposing issues that have been ongoing for years. People think this is new corruption—no, the difference is that now the system can detect it,” he said, accusing some hospitals of resisting verification because “they know in there, there is theft.”
The government has maintained that the reforms are central to restoring public trust in healthcare financing, after years of scandals at NHIF.
Ruto’s visit to Siaya also saw him unveil development projects worth more than Sh22 billion, including the renovation of Siaya Stadium (Sh500 million), a new teaching and referral hospital (Sh550 million), 11,000-capacity student hostels (Sh5.5 billion), 8,000 affordable housing units and Sh1.5 billion modern markets.
In a rare display of political goodwill, local leaders allied to Odinga welcomed the President’s initiatives.
Governor James Orengo lauded the projects as a boost for the region, while Raila’s elder brother, Oburu Odinga, said Ruto had “shown Siaya people love, and they are ready to reciprocate.”
Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo went further, assuring Ruto of political support in the next general election.
“You have our assurance that we will elect you again so that we can have progressive development going forward,” he declared.
SHIF, which replaced NHIF earlier this year, has introduced biometric registration, real-time digital claims monitoring and a means-testing contribution model for the unemployed and self-employed.
Last week, SHIF CEO Dr Mercy Mwangangi announced the suspension of several hospitals from the scheme over suspected irregularities.
