Former presidential candidate Reuben Kigame has criticized President William Ruto over the ineffective National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), now called the Social Health Authority (SHA).

The transition, which began in October 2024, has left many patients unable to access healthcare despite paying a lot money for it.

Several Kenyans have voiced frustration over the new system’s lack of benefits, prompting protests at the Ministry of Health on January 15, 2025.

Some patients, including those with infants, reported failed attempts to receive treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Kigame said SHA won’t work, claiming it was introduced with dubious intentions.

“NHIF was working, and if there were issues, they should have been fixed, not replaced,” he stated, accusing president Ruto and his team of being “con artists.”

The Kenya Health Network (KHN) attributed recent lapses in patient care to “system downtime,” which it said had been resolved.

However, some government officials, like Mogotio MP Reuben Kiborek, dismissed the criticism as pessimism.

He assured the public that SHA was working and that the government would address funding issues for chronic diseases.

Meanwhile, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa defended the system, stating that services were being provided, but acknowledged challenges in public awareness.