Written By Lisa Murimi
Kenya’s public sector could face a major overhaul if a new motion by Nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege gains traction.
On August 1, Chege announced her plan to mandate that all government officials use public hospitals exclusively for their medical needs.
Chege’s proposal aims to improve public healthcare by requiring MPs and other high-ranking officials to forgo private medical services.
“If we ourselves, starting with Members of Parliament, use the public facilities, the CEOs and the doctors will make sure they are there,” Chege argued, highlighting that this would ensure better maintenance and staffing of these facilities.
The bill is expected to encourage the use of National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) coverage within public hospitals, thus redirecting funds back into the public healthcare system.
Chege emphasized the financial benefits, suggesting that utilizing the Ksh10 million insurance in public hospitals would reduce pending bills and enhance overall service quality.
This isn’t the first attempt to push such legislation. In 2018, Kwale Woman Representative Zuleikha Hassan proposed a similar bill to require NHIF coverage exclusively in government facilities. Despite its potential to improve oversight and service delivery, Hassan’s bill did not advance.
The proposal comes amid ongoing discussions about public service quality, with some arguing that if high-ranking officials experienced public sector challenges firsthand, they would be more motivated to drive improvements.
However, confidence in public institutions remains low, highlighted by recent shifts in medical coverage among the National Police Service and Kenya Prisons Service.
