Duale Challenges Gachagua Over SHA Collapse Claims
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has strongly responded to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over his criticism of the Social Health Authority (SHA), daring him to make public the dossier he claims contains evidence of misuse of funds.
Speaking on Sunday, March 29, during a Waqf empowerment event hosted by Wajir South MP Mohammed Adow, Duale dismissed Gachagua’s recent remarks that the government was frustrating faith-based hospitals through SHA.
He accused the former DP of spreading fear and misinformation around a programme that the government says is still running smoothly. Similar concerns around SHA’s effectiveness have recently been raised in public forums, with Gachagua questioning whether the system is meeting its promises.
Gachagua had gone further in his criticism, claiming that he had intelligence reports showing the government-backed health insurance body could completely collapse within the next six months.
The claim added fuel to the already heated public debate surrounding SHA, especially amid ongoing questions over delayed hospital payments and allegations of fraudulent claims.
But in a sharp response, Duale insisted that SHA remains fully operational and said the claims being made by Gachagua are based on rumours rather than facts. He openly challenged him to release the alleged dossier to the public.
“I dare Riggy G to release that dossier tomorrow at 10. We have paid health facilities across the country — faith-based, private, public and more — KSh 21 billion as of this morning,” Duale said.
The Health CS also accused Gachagua of trying to use private and faith-based hospitals as political tools to gain support, arguing that the former DP was taking advantage of concerns in the health sector for political mileage.
Gachagua has remained one of the most vocal critics of government programmes, especially SHA, which replaced NHIF under the new healthcare reforms.
He has repeatedly pointed to alleged irregularities such as ghost claims, fake hospital payouts, and billions of shillings in unsettled dues owed to medical facilities. These concerns have also featured in recent national discussions around the scheme.
During a Sunday church service in Ndia Constituency, Gachagua claimed that many hospitals were still waiting for billions in unpaid claims.
He urged private health facilities to push harder for their money and even suggested they consider asking patients for cash upfront if the delays continue.
Duale, however, rejected those claims and defended the progress of the scheme. According to him, more than 30.1 million Kenyans are now registered under SHA, with an average of 12,000 new registrations being recorded every single day.
He said these numbers show growing public confidence in the programme despite criticism from political opponents.
The CS also gave a detailed breakdown of the funds already released under the new healthcare financing model. He said the government has so far disbursed about KSh 92.5 billion to hospitals and healthcare providers across the country.
Out of this amount:
- Around KSh 75 billion has been paid through the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF)
- About KSh 13 billion has gone toward primary healthcare services
- Approximately KSh 3.5 billion has been released for civil servants and teachers under the public officers’ medical scheme
- Another KSh 1 billion has been allocated for emergency, chronic, and critical illness care
Duale said the purpose of these payments is to improve service delivery in all types of hospitals, including public, private, and faith-based institutions, while ensuring patients continue receiving quality care without disruptions.
He further revealed that the government has mobilised roughly KSh 156 billion over the same period to keep the programme stable and sustainable.
According to the CS, the total amount includes:
- KSh 115 billion from SHIF contributions
- KSh 19.8 billion for primary healthcare support
- KSh 12 billion from the civil servants and teachers medical cover
- KSh 8.3 billion reserved for emergency, chronic, and critical illness treatment funds
The latest exchange between Duale and Gachagua highlights the deepening political battle around SHA, a programme that remains one of the most closely watched reforms in Kenya’s healthcare sector.
While the government continues to defend the scheme using enrolment and disbursement figures, critics remain concerned about transparency, hospital arrears, and reports of fraudulent claims.
Overall, the standoff has now moved beyond policy and into open political confrontation, with Duale demanding proof and Gachagua maintaining that the cracks within SHA are too serious to ignore.
Join Kenya Govt Official WhatsApp Channel to stay updated on time
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
