NHIF upgrade could cost Sh800M but Ruto went for Sh104bn SHA- Gachagua
By Lucy Mumbi |
Gachagua said experts had advised that the NHIF could have been enhanced at a cost of between Sh700 million and Sh800 million, significantly less than the Sh104 billion allocated to the SHA.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticised the government's decision to implement the Social Health Authority (SHA), claiming the move was rushed and unnecessarily costly.
Speaking during an interview with NTV on Sunday, Gachagua argued that upgrading the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) would have been a more cost-effective solution, saving taxpayers billions.
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Gachagua said experts had advised that the NHIF could have been enhanced at a cost of between Sh700 million and Sh800 million, significantly less than the Sh104 billion allocated to the SHA.
He claimed that the rapid implementation of the new system was driven by ulterior motives.
"Kenyans need to speak out... Experts told me it was possible to improve the existing system at a cost of between Sh700 million to Sh800 million. Yet we are spending over Sh100 billion," he said.
He further alleged that the rush to implement the SHA indicated possible corruption.
"From where I sit, when I look at the whole rush of this SHA thing, it is because of this Sh104 billion. There's a conflict of interest, and the whole thing is not straight," he added.
The former deputy president also criticised the lack of public participation in the rollout of the SHA. He emphasised that policies should reflect the views of the people they aim to serve.
"Public policies are meant for the public, not for bureaucrats. If there is a lot of resentment or rejection, it is the administration’s responsibility to consider these views," he said.
Gachagua also expressed concern about reports of coercion, criticising government officials who have threatened to withhold services from unregistered citizens.
"I have seen an advisor in the president’s office telling people their children will not go to school unless they register for this programme. That is coercion and intimidation," he said.
He maintained that good policies should attract voluntary participation. "If something is good, people should be rushing to register. But if you have to intimidate people, then the programme clearly has issues."
Reflecting on his tenure as deputy president, Gachagua defended his refusal to support certain government programmes, which he believed were not above board.
"I cannot defend corruption. The president said I failed to defend government programmes, and he is right to a certain extent. But I only defended programmes that were above board," he said.
He challenged the new Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to account for government decisions.
"If the deputy he [the president] has picked can defend theft and corruption, let him go ahead. But I cannot defend such things," he said.
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