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The recent heated exchange between Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi offers Kenyans a critical opportunity to scrutinise the calibre of their elected leaders and the implications of their choices on governance and public service delivery.
The dramatic confrontation between Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi in Parliament on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, has been highlighted by former Roots Party presidential running mate Justina Wamae as a significant reflection of Kenya's leadership challenges. Wamae, speaking during a local TV interview on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, suggested the incident provides voters with an opportunity to evaluate the leaders they elect and the subsequent consequences of those decisions.
The clash, which briefly halted a National Assembly Health Committee session reviewing the Social Health Authority (SHA), saw Duale accuse Kibagendi of owning health facilities shut down due to irregularities. Kibagendi retorted by questioning Duale’s moral authority and alleging misappropriation of SHA funds by the CS's associates.
The exchange between Duale and Kibagendi underscores ongoing tensions within Kenya's health sector, particularly concerning the Social Health Authority. The SHA, established to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), has faced scrutiny over alleged mismanagement and corruption since its inception. The transition to SHA aimed to achieve universal health coverage by 2025, funded by a 2.75% deduction on gross pay. However, its rollout has been plagued by glitches, verification delays, and a ballooning of arrears.
The Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, provides the legal framework for the SHA and outlines penalties for healthcare providers who fraudulently alter information to defraud the Authority. The Ministry of Health, under CS Duale, has intensified efforts against fraud through a comprehensive digital system, leading to the closure of 728 non-compliant facilities and the downgrading of 301 others by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) since April 1, 2025. Additionally, SHA suspended 40 facilities in August 2025 following forensic audits and planned to degazette an additional 45 flagged for fraudulent activities.
Justina Wamae speculated that financial disagreements might have fueled the animosity between Duale and Kibagendi, suggesting the Health Committee may have requested payments from Duale, which he declined. This refusal, she posited, could have contributed to the acrimony witnessed. Kibagendi, on his part, denied owning any hospitals and accused Duale and his allies of corruption within the Ministry of Health.
The Rural Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA), representing over 700 private and faith-based hospitals, has consistently criticised SHA for delayed and inadequate reimbursements. As of late August 2025, hospitals had submitted claims worth KSh 96.2 billion, with only KSh 53 billion cleared, leaving KSh 43 billion outstanding. RUPHA warns that this debt threatens the collapse of healthcare delivery and has called for immediate settlement of outstanding liabilities.
The ongoing disputes and allegations of fraud within the SHA pose significant risks to Kenya's healthcare system and the goal of universal health coverage. Delayed reimbursements are causing severe financial distress for health facilities, potentially leading to a collapse in healthcare delivery and forcing patients to pay cash for services. This situation could undermine public trust in the new health insurance scheme and exacerbate existing health inequalities.
While Justina Wamae suggested financial disagreements as a possible cause for the clash, the specific details of any alleged monetary requests from the Health Committee to CS Duale remain unverified. Kibagendi also denied owning any facilities that were shut down, challenging Duale to provide evidence. The full extent of the alleged misappropriation of SHA funds by CS Duale's associates, as claimed by Kibagendi, is also an area of ongoing controversy and uncertainty.
The National Assembly Health Committee is expected to reconvene to continue its review of the Social Health Authority, and it remains to be seen whether a calmer environment will prevail. Further investigations into the allegations of fraud and misappropriation of funds within the SHA will be crucial. The government's response to the concerns raised by private hospitals regarding delayed reimbursements will also be a key area to monitor, as it directly impacts healthcare access for millions of Kenyans.
