“Opposition Seeks to Block Healthcare Progress”Mudavadi Urges Support for SHIF
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has encouraged Kenyans to support the government’s recently launched Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), advising against heeding opponents who criticize the initiative. He warned that those who oppose the SHIF have ulterior motives aimed at maintaining weaknesses in the healthcare sector, which could ultimately deprive Kenyans of the benefits of universal healthcare.
Mudavadi pointed out that opponents of the new scheme are those who benefitted from loopholes in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and are resisting reform to protect personal interests. “Kenyans should know that corruption fights back,” he said. “When those who have been gaining through the loopholes and mismanagement of the previous scheme see changes coming, they will use all means to fight back.”
Emphasizing the government’s commitment to affordable and accessible healthcare, Mudavadi noted that SHIF will streamline Kenya’s health sector and decentralize services. “The government is not introducing a scheme that will harm its people, especially in healthcare, which is a critical component of societal well-being,” he said. “We want to get it right this time.”
Mudavadi reassured Kenyans of the scheme’s purpose, highlighting that it is designed to expand healthcare access across the country by enhancing basic community health facilities and building advanced medical centers. SHIF, he added, is a pillar of President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and will provide comprehensive coverage for vulnerable populations, including essential services like screening, dialysis, and transplants.
Speaking at the African Divine Church’s (ADC) 73rd-anniversary celebration in Nairobi, where he joined President Ruto, Mudavadi called on Kenyans to trust in the government’s transformative health policies. “The reforms led by President Ruto are aimed at stabilizing and empowering the nation,” he noted. “Stability, peace, and security are essential for growth. We want to avoid becoming a country where even going to church or mosque is challenged by insecurity.”
He also urged religious institutions to remain pillars of unity and peace in the country. Mudavadi praised the ADC and Archbishop John Chabuga, commending their role in supporting the moral fabric of society. “We encourage the church to strengthen its partnership with the government to ensure resilience against vices that threaten our society’s moral fabric.”
The event saw other leaders in attendance, including Governors Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi) and Susan Kihika (Nakuru), alongside majority leaders in Parliament Kimani Ichung’wa and Aaron Cheruiyot, Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, and other Members of Parliament and County Assemblies.
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“Opposition Seeks to Block Healthcare Progress”Mudavadi Urges Support for SHIF
