Senior Counsel Paul Muite has launched a blistering attack on the government’s Sh104 billion software deal for the Social Health Authority (SHA), terming it a scandalous waste of public funds.

In a press briefing that has rattled the Ministry of Health, the veteran lawyer questioned the opacity of the procurement process. He alleged that the massive contract, awarded to a consortium with opaque beneficial ownership, represents "state capture in its purest form" at the expense of dying patients.

The "Phantom" System

Muite argued that the SHA system remains glitchy and inaccessible to the very Wanjiku it was meant to serve, despite the astronomical price tag. "We are spending Sh104 billion—equivalent to the entire budget of ten counties—on a portal that cannot even verify a patient’s ID," he thundered.

• Cost Comparison: Muite cited similar systems in India and Rwanda that cost a fraction of the Kenyan deal.
• Data Privacy: Concerns were raised about the safety of millions of Kenyans' medical records in the hands of a private entity.
• The Beneficiaries: "Who owns this consortium?" Muite asked. "Kenyans have a right to know who is pocketing billions while our hospitals lack medicine."

The SHA rollout has been plagued by chaos, with patients turned away from facilities and doctors unable to access funds. Muite’s intervention adds legal and moral weight to the growing public outcry.

A Looming Legal Battle

The Senior Counsel hinted at a public interest litigation suit to halt payments. If he proceeds, it could paralyze the government’s flagship health project. For the Ruto administration, which campaigned on universal health coverage, this is a PR nightmare that refuses to go away.