The Social Health Authority (SHA) has dismissed reports that whistleblower Andrew Kipkurui Rotich lost his job following the exposure of a multibillion-shilling health fraud scandal.
In a statement released on Wednesday, SHA Board Chairperson Dr. Abdi Mohamed clarified that Rotich remains a public officer currently deployed to the Authority as a Senior Officer under transitional arrangements.
“Mr Rotich has not lost his job. He remains an employee of the public service deployed to the Social Health Authority, currently holding the position of Senior Officer. His tenure is protected under the transitional arrangements,” Dr. Mohamed said.
SHA insisted that its recruitment process was fair and transparent, explaining that only applicants who formally applied for advertised positions could be considered.
“SHA Recruitment Portal records confirm that Mr Rotich did not apply for the position of Deputy Director, Internal Audit. He only submitted one application for Assistant Director, Internal Audit and did not submit a physical application for any other post,” Dr. Mohamed stated.
The Authority further noted that Rotich had not filed any appeal challenging his non-shortlisting. It also cited a May 29, 2025, ruling in ELRC Petition No. E078 of 2025, which nullified all earlier appointments, including Rotich’s previous promotion, forcing the Authority to restart the recruitment afresh.
Dr. Mohamed urged the media to verify information before publication, stressing SHA’s commitment to meritocracy, transparency, and adherence to the law.
The Authority also highlighted reforms to strengthen its internal audit system, including deploying artificial intelligence and big data engines to detect fraudulent claims, with evidence already shared with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for prosecution of rogue facilities.
This comes days after some reports claimed that Rotich, who served as the Deputy Director of Forensic Audit and Risk Assurance at SHA, had lost his job after exposing a multibillion-shilling fraud.
The exposure had led to the closure of 1,300 rogue hospitals, which were found guilty of submitting fraudulent billing to the authority.
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Kenya raised concerns over Rotich’s exclusion from the shortlist of candidates for senior audit positions, demanding whistleblower protection and an independent inquiry.
“The Institute urges the Social Health Authority and the Ministry of Health to uphold fairness, justice, and due process in the case of CPA Rotich. We stress that this issue relates to an individual and the principle that professionals serving the public interest must be protected from vulnerability,” ICPAK chairperson Elizabeth Kalunda stated.
The ICPAK chair also appealed for the protection of whistleblowers and evidence, including security guarantees for Rotich and his family.
“We demand the safety of whistleblowers by ensuring security for CPA Rotich, his family, and other parties contributing to accountability efforts,” she said.
Further, Kalunda said they will move to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over the matter.
“As part of our collaborative efforts to strengthen ethical leadership and financial integrity, we will head to EACC to formally submit our press statement and action points,” Kalunda added.
