Duale: St Mary’s Mumias Hospital operating licence intact, not withdrawn
Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale has clarified that neither the Social Health Authority (SHA) nor the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has withdrawn the operating licences of St Mary’s Hospital in Mumias, Kakamega County.
Duale spoke after co-chairing a high-level meeting with Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, attended by officials from the Ministry of Health, county leadership, and the hospital’s management, led by Kakamega Catholic Diocese Bishop Joseph Obanyi.
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In a statement on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, Dualed stated that the discussions focused on addressing the financial difficulties facing the faith-based facility, which serves thousands of residents in the region.
“For clarity, neither SHA nor KMPDC has withdrawn St. Mary’s operating licences,” read the statement in part.
Furthermore, he has revealed that the government and the leadership of St Mary’s Mumias Mission Hospital have resolved critical issues regarding the settlement of SHA claims, assuring residents that the facility remains operational despite recent challenges.
SHA
Duale confirmed that the government and SHA had agreed on a clear roadmap to clear outstanding claims and sustain uninterrupted services at the hospital.
“The Social Health Authority has already paid St Mary’s Ksh98 million in pending bills since last December. A further Ksh14 million will be released in the coming weeks as soon as the necessary documentation is submitted,” said CS Duale.
“I want to ask those speaking at funerals that this weekend they must look for a different agenda because Mumias will not be on the table for politics since we have resolved all the issues,” the CS said.
“If they continue, I will meet them at the funerals head-on. We are committed to transparency and accountability in providing affordable and world-class healthcare.”
The CS explained that SHA was addressing claims across different facility levels in Kakamega, including Ksh72 million for primary healthcare (PHC) services, and Ksh166 million for the hospital’s Level 5 services.
An initial disbursement of Ksh100 million is scheduled for September 14.
The CS also noted that legacy claims inherited from the defunct NHIF, amounting to about Ksh5.3 billion, would be settled within two months, pending parliamentary approval of a supplementary budget.
“NHIF was a den of corruption. That is why we shut it down. We must verify every shilling before payment,” he added.
On his part, Bishop Obanyi acknowledged that delays in claim disbursements had triggered a staff strike at St Mary’s but expressed confidence that the new arrangement would restore stability.
“We have held fruitful discussions, and we now understand where we are. The Ksh34 million pending will help us clear salary arrears, while an additional Ksh10 million is under verification. We are committed to continued engagement with SHA for the benefit of our people,” said the Bishop.
