Khalwale puts Duale to task over Linda Jamii
Kakamega County Senator Boniface Khalwale has directly told Health CS Aden Duale that the SHA’s Linda Jamii is not serving its purpose.
Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Khalwale put Duale to task to explain why his ministry is, in his words, joking with maternity care under the new SHA scheme.
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He went on to rubbish the so-called Linda Jamii programme, which was derived from former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Linda Mama initiative, saying it falsely implies inclusivity of the entire family while failing to protect expectant mothers.
Questioning extra health charges
Khalwale demanded that the Health Ministry come clean about the additional bills that Kenyans will be expected to pay under the new health funding model.
He said the extra costs are proof that the current system has failed and needs urgent restructuring to prevent further suffering among citizens.
“So, Minister, the question you must answer for Kenyans is this: regarding the extra bill that people will be expected to pay, why don’t you admit that it reflects a failed system of funding, and instead rework it so that patients, my dear brother, can continue to receive care in the same manner they did under Linda Mama?” he said.
Linda Jamii called a downgrade
The outspoken senator said that converting the Linda Mama programme into Linda Jamii was fraudulent and ill-conceived.
He argued that maternity care is a life-threatening emergency that deserves specialised attention and should not be lumped together with general ailments like backaches.
“When you convert Linda Mama into Linda Jamii, that is fraudulent, because under Jamii, people, Dr Amoth is here, some of them suffer from backaches and other minor conditions.”
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“But childbirth is a serious, life-threatening emergency,” Khalwale said.
He further cited Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi’s efforts as an example of success, noting that the county had sustained eight months without a single maternal death. “It’s doable,” Khalwale added.
Khalwale concluded by urging the Health Ministry to acknowledge that the extra charges under the SHA model are a clear sign of a failed system and to take the necessary steps to fix it.
According to Khalwale, this will help Kenyan mothers continue receiving essential maternal care without unnecessary financial burden.
