Aden Duale Hits Back at MPs Over SHA Scandal Allegations

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has accused some Members of Parliament of owning hospitals flagged in the ongoing Social Health Authority (SHA) payment claims scandal.

Speaking on Wednesday, Duale strongly dismissed calls for his resignation, describing the accusations as blackmail aimed at frustrating efforts to combat corruption in the health sector.

Aden Duale Hits Back at MPs Over SHA Scandal Allegations

MPs Push for Aden Duale’s Resignation

Lawmakers under the Kenya Moja coalition had earlier demanded that Duale take full responsibility for billions lost through alleged payments to non-existent hospitals.

Led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, the MPs gave the Health CS a 48-hour ultimatum to resign or face a censure motion in Parliament.

According to the legislators, Duale, senior officials at the SHA, and influential figures within State House are behind the alleged fraud.

Duale Denies Allegations, Hits Back at MPs

In a statement from Afya House, Duale dismissed the claims and accused some MPs of having vested interests.

“To eliminate deep-rooted fraud in our health insurance systems, we must clean up the sector, prosecute offenders, and recover stolen funds — without interference from anyone,” Duale stated.

He further alleged that some lawmakers' own facilities were flagged for fraudulent claims.

Conflict of Interest Claims Surface

The MPs accused Duale of having a conflict of interest in the SHA saga. However, he challenged them to produce a CR12 document proving his ownership or directorship in any health facility.

“I own no such facility. I am ready to appear before any parliamentary committee or oversight body and account for all my assets,” Duale insisted.

Duale also highlighted his 20-year public service career, noting that his record on integrity and asset declaration is publicly available in Parliament’s Hansard.

SHA Digital System Under Scrutiny

The MPs also raised concerns about the cost of the new Integrated Healthcare Information Technology System (IHITS).

However, Duale clarified that the figures being circulated are based on misunderstandings and deliberate misrepresentations.

According to the Health Ministry, the SHA’s ICT system, a component of IHITS, is designed to manage healthcare financing and insurance services through a legally required enterprise resource planning (ERP) functionality.

Duale further defended the system, stating that it was developed to replace the failed NHIF platform, which had been blamed for inefficiencies and system breakdowns.

Duale Dismisses MPs’ Motives

The Health CS accused some lawmakers of using the SHA scandal to settle political scores, claiming the attack on SHA boss Dr. Abdi Mohamed amounts to ethnic profiling.

“This is nothing more than a political witch-hunt,” Duale said, vowing to continue reforms in the health sector.