Maraga calls for SHA forensic audit to expose ghost hospitals and fraud

Paulette Mboga 26th August, 2025 03:29 PM

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has issued a call for accountability in Kenya’s health sector, announcing sweeping measures to restore constitutional order and reinforce the rule of law.

In a strongly worded statement to the nation, Maraga declared that the rot within the Ministry of Health and its regulatory bodies can no longer be ignored.

He cited systemic failures that have allowed billions of shillings in taxpayer funds to be syphoned off to ghost hospitals and fraudulently registered facilities, while legitimate hospitals remain underfunded and ordinary Kenyans continue to suffer.

“The betrayal of the Kenyan people by those entrusted to safeguard their health will no longer be tolerated,” Maraga said to the press on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. “Those who have colluded to defraud the nation, regardless of title or office, must face the full force of the law.”

Forensic audit of SHA

To address the crisis, Maraga has called for an independent forensic audit of the Social Health Authority (SHA). The audit will scrutinise funds collected through the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), parliamentary allocations to the Primary Care Fund and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF), as well as all payments made to hospitals, suppliers, and vendors.

The former Chief Justice emphasised that transparency must be at the centre of the exercise, with full disclosure of recipient identities. According to him, only a thorough investigation will uncover how deeply entrenched corruption has become in the health sector.

“The Kenyan people deserve to know where their money has gone and who has benefited,” Maraga insisted. “The days of unchecked looting under the guise of healthcare must come to an end.”

Call for accountability

Maraga’s statement extends beyond SHA to the broader public service. He stressed the urgent need for institutional reforms to restore public trust and to ensure that constitutional provisions on accountability are not reduced to mere rhetoric.

He warned that failure to act decisively would further erode public confidence in state institutions and perpetuate a culture of impunity. “This is about justice for Kenyans who continue to die in underfunded hospitals while billions are diverted to fraudulent schemes,” he said.