Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has responded to criticism over recent appointments at the Social Health Authority, saying the process was guided by merit and not influenced by politics, as questions continue over the ethnic makeup of the recruits.
While speaking at Garissa High School during the handover of a school bus on Saturday, Duale said he did not play any role in the hiring process and insisted that the authority’s board and management handled the recruitment independently.
Public debate erupted after data showed that a large share of SHA County Operations Managers came from only two communities. Out of 47 officials deployed to counties, 22 were drawn from those two groups, with the rest of the positions going to other communities.
The issue has fueled online discussions, with many Kenyans raising concerns about whether the appointments met constitutional standards on fairness, inclusiveness, and regional balance under Article 10.
Duale said he understood the concerns but argued that the country must also deal with long-standing imbalances in public service hiring. He said several official reports had already documented historical gaps in public sector employment.
Although he said he trusts the leadership of the Social Health Authority, Duale said he would request a detailed explanation on how the recruitment was carried out.
“Every Kenyan will be given an opportunity by the Social Health Authority based on their competence and qualification. And in employing these Kenyans, Article 10 and the public service guidelines will be considered to make sure all regions, all communities, all religions and all genders are given equal opportunity," said the Health CS.
He said the government must address past disparities in public service recruitment.
"We must correct historical injustices. And that is not me saying, it is in the Public Service Commission audit, it is in the National Cohesion and Integration Commission report…that over years, there was imbalance in the public service sector employment.”
Duale also said he does not interfere with hiring at agencies under his ministry but would ensure public concerns are addressed.
“I don’t interfere with how SHA recruits, or how Kenyatta National Hospital recruits. They have boards and management, but the concerns of Kenyans will be addressed. And as a minister, the buck stops with me. On Monday I will call both the board and management of SHA to take me through (the recruitment process)…and I have confidence in the entire leadership.”
