Written by Lisa Murimi
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has filed a petition challenging the official launch of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which was set to roll out on October 1.
In a post on his X account, Omtatah revealed that, alongside two co-petitioners, Eliud Matindi and Magare Gikenyi, they had sought to halt the SHIF’s implementation and the government’s contract with private service providers.
Omtatah argued that the necessary subsidiary legislation to operationalize SHIF is not yet in place, rendering the fund’s rollout unconstitutional.
Additionally, the petition calls for the suspension and annulment of the government’s contract with three private entities responsible for providing an Integrated Healthcare Information Technology System for Universal Health Care.
The SHIF has faced ongoing legal and public challenges.
On September 30, DJ Krowbar took to social media to criticize the confusion surrounding the rollout, sharing how his wife was told she would need to pay for her dialysis treatment out-of-pocket.
In response to the public outcry, Social Health Authority (SHA) CEO Elijah Wachira issued a statement to hospitals, assuring that no member would be denied dialysis, cancer services, or maternity care during the transition.
Private hospitals, however, remain uncertain, as they have yet to receive formal contracts under the new model.
