NYERI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has once again voiced his opposition to the newly implemented Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), citing transparency concerns and what he describes as a hasty rollout.
Speaking from his Wamunyoro residence in an exclusive interview on Sunday evening, Gachagua reiterated that he never supported SHIF due to a lack of clarity in its structure and execution.
“I opposed SHIF because it was not transparent. Our people are today suffering because SHA is not working,” Gachagua said, referencing the Social Health Authority (SHA), which oversees the scheme.
The government replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) with SHA on October 1, 2024, as part of broader healthcare reforms.
However, the transition has faced criticism, with some arguing that implementation was rushed.
In a separate interview in late January, Gachagua acknowledged that the new health insurance framework was a good idea in principle but faulted its execution.
“This programme was rushed without taking sufficient time and consulting all the stakeholders on how to implement it to make health affordable to every Kenyan,” he said.
Gachagua noted that while the promise of universal coverage—including for chronic illnesses—was commendable, the implementation process deviated from its initial plan, leading to operational challenges.
Despite these concerns, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has defended the new scheme, assuring Kenyans that technical issues will be resolved soon.
“So far, more than 500,000 Kenyans have benefited since we rolled out the new health scheme,” Barasa said, adding that the government has already reimbursed health facilities for services provided under the programme.
Acknowledging teething problems, Barasa noted that system interruptions were a common challenge even in other countries but emphasized the progress made.
“Yes, we have had a few challenges, some of them being system interruptions. But let us see where we are coming from as Kenya. Very few people had NHIF. Now, we have more than 18 million Kenyans covered—almost three times the number who had NHIF,” she explained.
The debate over SHA’s effectiveness continues, with Gachagua and other critics pushing for a review of the rollout process, while the government insists it is on track to deliver affordable healthcare for all.
