National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has launched a scathing critique of the Ministry of Health, condemning its handling of the struggling Social Health Insurance (SHA) system and the controversial arrest of activist Grace Njoki Mulei. The incident has spotlighted the mounting frustrations surrounding Kenya’s new health insurance platform.
Mulei, arrested for storming a Ministry boardroom in protest of persistent technical glitches in the SHA system, has become a symbol of public discontent. Lawmakers, led by Ichung’wah, demanded answers regarding the circumstances of her arrest, questioning whether the Ministry, SHA, or the police were responsible.
“Who was the complainant that led to this woman being arrested? Was it SHA? Was it the Ministry? Or were the police acting independently?” Ichung’wah asked during a tense session with Ministry and SHA officials. He further criticized the Ksh 50,000 police bond imposed on Mulei, calling it an excessive and questionable measure.
Broader Failures Exposed
Beyond the arrest, lawmakers turned their attention to the mismanagement and poor communication surrounding SHA. Ichung’wah lambasted the Ministry of Health for failing to adequately address the system’s technical failures and their impact on Kenyans’ access to healthcare services.
“System errors can happen, but what matters is how you communicate and resolve them. Even Kenyatta National Hospital admitted to system failures—why wasn’t this communicated to the public?” he questioned.
Criticism also extended to SHA’s lack of independence, with Ichung’wah accusing the Ministry of overstepping its role and undermining the authority of the supposedly semi-autonomous body. “When we created SHA, the intention was for it to operate independently. The Ministry must allow it to function as intended,” he asserted.
A Step Back by the Ministry
In a surprising turn, the Ministry of Health announced its decision to withdraw the case against Mulei, marking a small victory for those calling for accountability. However, the session has intensified scrutiny on both SHA and the Ministry, with lawmakers calling for urgent reforms to restore public trust in Kenya’s health insurance system.
