Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has slammed Nairobi County’s directive requiring all health facilities to bank with Sidian Bank.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 12, Sifuna questioned the rationale behind the directive.
The Nairobi Senator noted that the health facilities in Nairobi County have been banking with the Co-operative Bank.
“The health facilities in Nairobi have been banking with Cooperative Bank, a tier one Bank with a solid history and reputation.
“How you wake up one day and direct all of them to move to a tier 3 bank cannot be explained any other way than that corruption is at play,” Sifuna stated.
Nairobi County Secretary and Head of the County Public Service, Godfrey Akumali, in a notice dated November 5, 2025, directed all CEOs of Level 4 and 5 hospitals, as well as all officers in charge of county health facilities, to begin banking with Sidian Bank.
Akumali noted that the County Executive Committee’s 69th meeting held on 28 October 2025 designated Sidian Bank as its principal banker.
“In its 69th Meeting held on 28th October, 2025, the Nairobi City County Executive Committee resolved to designate Sidian Bank as its Principal Banker,” he stated.
The Nairobi County Head of Public Service also directed the CEO of the health facilities to complete forms to facilitate the opening of the Sidian Bank accounts and submit them by Friday, November 7, 2025.
“This correspondence hereby serves to communicate the resolution of the County Executive Committee to request that you complete the attached forms to facilitate the opening of your respective accounts,” read the notice in part.
“Kindly attach all the required documents and submit the completed forms to the office of the County Executive Committee Member – Finance and Economic Planning by Friday, 7th November, 2025. Your prompt attention to this matter will be highly appreciated,” the notice added.
Sidian Bank is also among the banks approved by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to receive Social Health Authority (SHA) remittances.
On August 26, the bank explained that its role is strictly limited to collecting contributions and forwarding them directly to the relevant SHA accounts.
“Sidian Bank is one of six CBK-licensed banks, KCB, Sidian, Co-op, Equity, Absa, DTB—selected for SHIF remittances after employer consultations.
“Sidian Bank only facilitates collections, remitting directly to SHA accounts. We do not hold or manage SHA funds,” the statement added.
