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National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has criticized the Ministry of Health over the ongoing failures of the Social Health Insurance (SHA) system, which have disrupted access to healthcare services at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and other facilities nationwide.
For the past two weeks, system malfunctions have affected millions of Kenyans, yet the Ministry has remained silent on the issue.
Lack of Communication
Ichung’wah, who is also the Kikuyu MP, expressed frustration over the Ministry’s failure to address the public on the crisis.
“Systems will always have errors, but how you communicate and resolve them is what matters. Kenyatta National Hospital admitted there was a system failure—why wasn’t this addressed publicly?” he questioned.
SHA’s Independence in Question
Beyond technical failures, Ichung’wah raised concerns about SHA’s operational autonomy, arguing that it remains overly dependent on the Ministry of Health.
“When we created SHA, we did not intend for the Ministry to run it. The authority must prove it can manage its own affairs,” he asserted.
The Majority Leader’s remarks add to growing concerns over the effectiveness of the SHA program, which was introduced as part of Kenya’s shift toward universal healthcare. With widespread disruptions and a lack of clear communication, pressure is mounting on the Ministry of Health and SHA leadership to resolve the crisis and restore public confidence in the system.
