The Kenya Moja political movement has raised serious concerns over the handling of the Social Health Authority, saying that Kenyans are being robbed of resources meant to provide affordable healthcare.
During a press briefing in Nairobi, the leaders accused Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi of overseeing what they described as a calculated scandal.
According to the movement, funds meant for patients and health facilities are being diverted in questionable ways, with some money going to hospitals that no longer exist.
They gave the example of Sipili Maternity and Nursing Home, which was closed after a media exposé but allegedly received five million shillings through SHA.
The leaders said that the scheme is not only corrupt but also a betrayal of public trust, as it continues to operate using the same system that was under the National Health Insurance Fund.
They argued that the system is being used to enrich a few individuals while ordinary citizens continue to struggle to access basic healthcare.
They demanded that CS Duale and Dr Mwangangi step aside, insisting that their leadership has allowed misuse of funds and collusion to steal from the public.
CS Duale has often spoken strongly against corruption in the health sector, but the Kenya Moja movement claimed that he cannot speak on integrity while being part of a scandal that touches on billions of shillings.
They urged the government to take action and restore accountability, warning that the healthcare sector cannot afford another layer of corruption when Kenyans are already burdened by high costs of living.
Concerns have also been raised by the public after the government pulled down the SHA portal where people could check payments made to hospitals, as well as the Master Health Facility Registry.
Critics argue that this move is a way of hiding information that should be accessible to every citizen.
Many Kenyans have also expressed frustration that while they are paying into the system, they are unsure whether the funds are being used to improve services or to enrich a few individuals.
In response, SHA announced that 45 health facilities have been suspended for fraud, adding to 40 that had already been flagged earlier in the month.
Dr Mwangangi said this action was necessary to protect the health scheme from further abuse. At the same time, CS Duale revealed that claims worth three billion shillings are under review because of missing documents, while another 2.1 billion shillings is being investigated for irregularities.
He also said that claims amounting to 10.6 billion shillings had already been rejected due to practices such as falsifying records, exaggerating medical cases, and billing for patients who do not exist.
The unfolding scandal has deepened mistrust between citizens and government health bodies, and pressure continues to build on the Health Ministry to clean up the system. The Kenya Moja movement maintains that only accountability at the top will convince Kenyans that real change is possible.
