Ex-minister Kirwa backs Uhuru’s criticism of Ruto over health reforms
The former Agriculture Cabinet Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa has backed up former President Uhuru Kenyatta for calling out President William Ruto during the recent Jubilee Party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC).
Speaking on Monday, September 29, 2025, during an interview with a local media house, the former minister criticised Ruto’s government while backing Uhuru’s criticism of the newly implemented health system, Social Health Insurance.
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“Uhuru is just a human being, and he is bound to respond to some of the issues that are being shuffled out of the way just because they wanted to have change,” Kirwa said.
On his part, Kirwa firmly stated that the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) should not have been scrapped but instead should have been improved in terms of infrastructure.
“With NHIF, they just needed to improve in terms of infrastructure; they did not have to change the name,” Kirwa said.
Kirwa, while backing former President Uhuru Kenyatta, further stated that Uhuru’s recent criticism was payback for being unfairly lambasted by Ruto, despite peacefully handing power to him.
“Former President Uhuru Kenyatta was paying back for being unfairly lambasted by Ruto, despite peacefully handing power to him. If someone comes to your door and wants to deal with you in unconventional ways, you are forced to retaliate,” Kirwa said.
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In addition, Kirwa noted that Uhuru was simply reacting to what was done to him, and there is nothing wrong with that, as he is human.
“Therefore, Uhuru Kenyatta was simply reacting to what was done to him, and there is nothing wrong with that; he is human.” Kirwa added.
Uhuru sharply criticises SHA
Former and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Friday, September 26, 2025, issued a veiled criticism of the Social Health Authority (SHA) that succeeded the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Speaking during the Jubilee Party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Ngong Racecourse along Ngong Road in Nairobi, the former Head of State took pride in his administration’s achievements, including the Linda Mama programme, which enabled expectant women to deliver in public hospitals free of charge.
In his message, Uhuru, without directly mentioning SHA, said Kenyans are being subjected to experimental schemes that are untested and untried.
“Today, Linda Mama has been abandoned and replaced by new, untried and untested schemes. While we wait for these experiments to succeed, Kenyans continue to suffer and our progress is slowed,” he said.
