Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has lashed out at his predecessor Rigathi Gachagua, over recent criticism of the national health insurance programme, the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Kindiki accused Gachagua of being a political scavenger for allegedly spreading alarmist claims that the program is on the verge of collapse.
Speaking in Embu County on Tuesday, Kindiki defended the government’s health insurance scheme, noting it’s expansion in coverage since 2022.
“In 2022, only 7 million Kenyans were covered by NHIF. Today, 32 million Kenyans are covered by SHA,” he said.
Kindiki rejected warnings from opposition figures that the program would fail within six months.
“Prophets of doom are busy inciting Kenyans that SHA will collapse in 6 months. I have some news for them; SHA will not collapse. In fact, SHA will be even better. Within a few months, we are targeting 45 million Kenyans to be covered by SHA,” he declared.
The Deputy President questioned the motives of those who predict the scheme’s failure.
“Even if you don’t love your country, even if you have such backward thinking, please just love and respect the people of Kenya. How can you prophesy that a health insurance taking care of more than 32 million people currently will collapse? Don’t you have some humanity in you?” he posed.
Kindiki also highlighted the tangible benefits the program has provided to Kenyans across the country.
SHA offers subsidised medical services and coverage for critical health interventions, aiming to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for households.
The expansion of coverage under the current administration has been described as a historic milestone in Kenya’s healthcare landscape.
Addressing what he termed political frustration, Kindiki accused his critics of failing to recognise government achievements.
“But I underestimate their frustration. They cannot see anything good being done by the government because when they were in office, they did nothing to improve the lives of Kenyans. They wasted their time doing useless things, quarrelling, sabotaging the President and eventually had to be kicked out. They cannot believe that we are delivering tangible development for all Kenyans,” he said.
Kindiki reaffirmed the government’s commitment to scaling up the program.
He said ongoing efforts will ensure that more Kenyans benefit from accessible and affordable healthcare, positioning SHA as a cornerstone of national social protection.
