Kabando calls out Ruto’s inner circle over SHA scandal
By Ascah Mwango, August 24, 2025Former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando has launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto’s close allies, linking them to the growing scandal at the Social Health Authority (SHA).
In a strongly worded statement shared on his X account on Sunday, August 24, 2025, Kabando pointed out that attempts to heap all the blame on Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale were misleading, since the scandal was a reflection of a much deeper problem.
He noted that Duale, Roads and Transport CS Davis Chirchir, and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen form part of President Ruto’s core circle of operatives. In his view, the Social Health Authority mess is not simply a case of one ministry gone rogue but evidence of a broader web of corruption entrenched within the President’s most trusted team.
“It is alright to blame CS Aden Duale for concoctions that herald stealing from the sick via SHA scams. But as I said a few days ago, Duale-Chirchir-Murkomen is Ruto’s operatives’ core axis. So, a conniving Duale = irredeemable thieving Ruto,” Kabando stated.
SHA scandal
His remarks come as public anger mounts over revelations that billions of shillings meant for healthcare may have been stolen through fraudulent claims and fictitious hospitals.
SHA was created to replace the troubled National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which was dissolved after years of mismanagement. However, the new authority now faces similar accusations of corruption and inefficiency.
In March 2025, the authority released Ksh11.4 billion to hospitals across the country. The payments sparked immediate concern after reports showed that some small private facilities had received unusually high amounts. Doctors’ unions and civil society groups warned that some of the facilities were either nonexistent or had exaggerated claims to receive the funds.
Through June and July, the Ministry of Health launched a crackdown. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale revealed that investigators had discovered falsified patient records, duplicate claims and cases of forced admissions. He disclosed that some hospitals created ghost patients and inflated bed capacity to pocket millions.
The government has since shut down or suspended dozens of facilities in different counties. On August 7, 2025, a Kenya Gazette notice listed 40 hospitals suspended from the SHA program following a forensic audit. Authorities also blocked access for 12 doctors and clinicians who were linked to suspicious claims.
Investigators said some hospitals disguised outpatients as inpatients to inflate costs. In one shocking case, investigators traced a payout to a site that turned out to be a thicket rather than a functioning hospital. The incident reinforced fears that ghost hospitals and ghost patients were being used to steal taxpayers’ money.
SHA has dismissed some of the claims. The authority denied reports that Ksh20 million had been sent to Nyandiwa Hospital, insisting the allegations were false. However, the denials have not calmed public anger as more evidence of fraud continues to emerge.
Oversight institutions have also raised concerns. Earlier this year, the Auditor General questioned how the SHA digital platform had been procured. The report noted that weak controls in contracting and technology created loopholes that could be exploited by fraudsters. Civil society groups also claimed that the procurement process had bypassed competitive procedures, making the system even more vulnerable.
The unfolding scandal has drawn comparisons with the NHIF, which was plagued by similar problems. In May 2025, a court ruling revealed that NHIF had suffered years of fraud, including ghost patients, inflated claims and unpaid bills that left many hospitals in debt.