“Bwana CS, Tell Us Reasons for Closing SHA” Muite Puts Aden Duale on the Spot With Tough Questions

Senior Counsel Paul Muite has challenged Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to explain the government’s decision to replace the Social Health Authority provider portal with a new digital system.

Muite questioned the rationale for the transition and asked what would happen to the money already committed to the technology supporting SHA. He directed his questions at Duale in a post on X, seeking an explanation for the change.

The Ministry of Health has been moving healthcare facilities to the Health Information Management System as part of a nationwide digital transition. The government says HMIS is designed to improve claims processing, patient verification, provider authentication and health data management.

Muite also revived questions over the cost of the previous technology arrangement. He referred to a figure of about KSh103 billion and asked whether the money would be recovered following the change in the digital platform.

The amount remains disputed. Government officials have rejected claims that taxpayers simply lost KSh103 billion on SHA software, while previous audit findings raised concerns about procurement and management of the technology arrangement.

Duale has also previously demanded evidence when facing allegations over SHA spending and implementation. The Health Ministry has continued defending the digital reforms while acknowledging that healthcare providers have faced challenges during the transition.

The latest dispute therefore centres on the cost and management of Kenya’s health technology infrastructure rather than the abolition of SHA itself. The government’s move to HMIS is likely to keep questions about procurement, expenditure and the value delivered by the previous system in the public spotlight.

Muite’s intervention adds pressure for clearer explanations about the transition, particularly what happens to existing investments and how healthcare providers and patients will be affected as facilities move to the new platform.

https://x.com/Paul_Muite/status/2105641086810993087

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