The Social Health Authority (SHA) has issued a statement denying claims that whistleblower Andrew Kipkurui Rotich was dismissed from his job after uncovering a multibillion-shilling fraud scheme within Kenya’s healthcare system.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, September 1, SHA Chairperson Abdi Mohamed clarified that Rotich is still employed by the authority and currently serves as a Senior Officer under transitional arrangements.
“Mr. Rotich has not been terminated. He remains a public service employee deployed to SHA. His current role is protected under existing transition policies,” Mohamed stated.
Why He Is No Longer Deputy Director
Rotich previously served as Deputy Director of Forensic Audit and Risk Assurance, but his appointment was nullified by the court on May 29, 2025. Following that ruling, SHA initiated a fresh recruitment exercise for Director, Deputy Director, and Assistant Director positions.
However, Mohamed explained that:
- Rotich did not reapply for the Deputy Director position
- Instead, he applied only for the role of Assistant Director, Internal Audit
- He submitted no application — digital or physical — for the Deputy Director post
“The recruitment portal records clearly show that Mr. Rotich only applied for the Assistant Director position. We could not shortlist him for a role he did not apply for,” Mohamed added.
Professional Body Demands Transparency
The clarification follows concerns raised by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), which had called for an independent review of the recruitment process.
They feared that Rotich may have been deliberately excluded after exposing massive fraud involving fraudulent hospital claims.
Reports had suggested that his whistleblowing led to the closure of over 1,300 rogue hospitals that were allegedly billing SHA illegally.
ICPAK insisted that Rotich — and all whistleblowers — deserve protection, not punishment.
“Recruitment decisions lie with appointing authorities, but the omission of CPA Rotich and two other deputy directors from the shortlist raises serious public interest concerns,” ICPAK said.
The organisation warned that if cases like this are not handled carefully, professionals may become afraid to speak up about corruption or misuse of public funds.
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