Kakamega Senator and Senate Majority Whip, Dr. Boni Khalwale, has demanded the immediate resignation of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale following the multi-billion shilling scandal rocking the Social Health Authority (SHA). The scandal has sparked national outrage after revelations that the Authority allegedly made huge payments to ghost health facilities through fraudulent claims.
The controversy emerged after CS Duale appeared before lawmakers on Monday, August 25, 2025, where he admitted that the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) had been infiltrated by fraud. He revealed that unscrupulous service providers were manipulating the system by billing inpatient services as outpatient claims, while others allegedly submitted forged documents to siphon millions of taxpayers’ money.
According to the CS, claims worth a staggering KSh 10.6 billion were flagged and rejected due to irregularities. This disclosure has intensified scrutiny on the Ministry of Health and raised concerns about accountability in Kenya’s healthcare system.
Khalwale’s Demands for Accountability
Senator Khalwale has insisted that CS Duale must take political responsibility for the rot at SHA, arguing that Kenyans cannot continue losing money and lives due to systemic corruption.
“If a political debt is due to Hon. Duale, whoever owes him should not expect Kenyans to repay him with their blood and lives through the scandalous SHA. CS Duale must go,” Khalwale declared.
He also called for the removal of SHA board chairperson Abdi Mohammed, warning that the lives of 57.5 million Kenyans should not be jeopardized by the negligence or incompetence of a few individuals at the top.
Duale Shifts Blame to Cartels
In his defense, CS Aden Duale dismissed Khalwale’s remarks as politically motivated attacks, maintaining that powerful cartels and saboteurs opposed to healthcare reforms were behind the scandal.
“No amount of blackmail will deter us from fixing our healthcare system. We will not rest until every Kenyan has access to affordable and dignified healthcare,” Duale said in a firm statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He emphasized that the Ministry of Health remains committed to reforming Kenya’s healthcare system under the Social Health Insurance Fund, despite resistance from those benefiting from corruption.
Broader Implications of the Scandal
The SHA scandal has reignited debate on corruption in Kenya’s health sector, which has previously faced scandals such as the KEMSA COVID-19 procurement saga. Experts warn that unless strict oversight, transparency, and accountability mechanisms are enforced, public trust in universal healthcare reforms may collapse.
For millions of Kenyans struggling with high medical costs, the controversy raises doubts about whether the government can deliver on its promise of accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare.
