UASIN GISHU, Kenya – Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has vowed to crack down on thousands of suspected ghost workers fraudulently earning salaries under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme, warning of possible prosecutions and recovery of public funds.
Speaking during a working tour in Uasin Gishu County on Friday, the CS revealed that a nationwide vetting and verification exercise is ongoing to weed out unqualified individuals who were irregularly recruited under the UHC programme.
“I have the money from Parliament to hire the UHC staff, but they should not harass me before we finish the vetting. We want to ensure only qualified personnel are hired permanently and on pensionable terms,” said Duale.
He accused some individuals of posing as nurses and health workers without the necessary professional qualifications and earning from public coffers.
“If you are not a nurse by profession and you’ve been earning public money, then know that you will face the law. You must refund our money,” he warned.
Duale added that once the ongoing verification concludes—expected by next week—the ministry will move swiftly to offer permanent contracts to verified healthcare workers.
At the same time, Duale disclosed that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) may be called in to investigate and prosecute cases involving ghost workers and irregular employment within the UHC programme.
“The numbers we are seeing indicate thousands of ghost workers. We will have to deal with them as per the law,” he said.
He cautioned workers against attempting to pressure the ministry through protests or lobbying, saying the vetting process will not be compromised.
Focus on Patients, Not Payroll
Duale stressed that the government’s priority was to improve service delivery for Kenyans, not to appease individuals benefiting from systemic loopholes.
“The boss of the healthcare system is the patient—not the workers, not the hospitals, not the leaders. We must restore dignity to the patient experience,” he declared.
During his tour, the CS flagged off a consignment of medical supplies to hospitals in Uasin Gishu and officially opened a new Medical Training College (MTC) in Burnt Forest.
He noted that Uasin Gishu ranks 18th among counties in registering residents under the Social Health Authority (SHA), with about 480,000 registered and over 700,000 yet to enroll.
Duale reiterated that primary healthcare is now free in hospitals below Level Four across the country and that no Kenyan should be charged for basic services or medication.
“Kenyans should walk into these hospitals, be treated, receive their medicine, and walk out—without paying a cent,” he said.
He credited President William Ruto’s administration for successfully rolling out the Universal Health Coverage plan, with more than 25 million Kenyans now registered under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
“Today, healthcare access is no longer a privilege of the few. There’s equity, and every Kenyan is benefiting,” he said.
The CS was accompanied by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, Senator Jackson Mandago, and Nominated MP Joseph Wainaina.
