Willis Otieno accuses Health CS Duale of shielding ghost hospital scandal
By Cynthia Lodite, August 25, 2025Lawyer Willis Otieno has accused the Ministry of Health, Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale of failing to take responsibility for the growing scandal involving ghost health facilities under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
On his part, Willis Otieno raised alarm over fraudulent facilities allegedly used to siphon millions from public health funds while identifying some of the facilities involved in the scandal.
In a tweet he shared online on Monday, August 25, 2025, Otieno called out Health CS Duale for making public announcements of suspending such hospitals without initiating arrests or legal action.
In addition, the lawyer revealed that although the Ministry of Health shows the list of the ghost facilities on record, no legal action is taken.
While faulting Duale, he further alleged that while the Ministry of Health records reveal some of these ghost facilities, the scheme seems to be strategically listed near genuine public dispensaries, suggesting an organised scheme to defraud the state.
“Duale then appears on TV announcing the “suspension” of these hospitals, yet no owners are arrested, and ShA takes no legal action. MOH records show some of these ghost facilities listed near genuine public dispensaries, making it clear this is a systematic scheme to loot public funds,” he noted.
Otieno raised the alarm, with facilities like Zamzam Nursing Home (Rhamu) receiving over KSh 8 million in just three months, despite likely not existing at all.
“This is the shocking pattern: fake hospitals are being created to siphon millions from ShA, with facilities like Zamzam Nursing Home (Rhamu) receiving over KSh 8M in just three months, despite likely not existing at all,” Otieno wrote.
According to Otieno, accountability is a long-overdue process in the ministry; hence, he is calling out the Ministry of Health CS Aden Duale to face the law and address the staggering ghost health facilities menace.
“The audacity is staggering, and accountability is long overdue; Duale, Dr. Abdi Mohamed, and others involved should face the law,” Otieno said.
SHA report on ghost facility
Notably, Otieno’s remarks come after the Social Health Authority (SHA) released a report that strongly refutes recent media claims alleging that the Authority disbursed Ksh20 million to a ghost facility, describing those claims as false, misleading, and irresponsible.
In a press release on Friday, August 22, 2025, by the SHA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, SHA clarified that no such disbursement was made, and the report lacks a factual basis, hence misleading the public.
On her part, Dr. Mwangangi firmly noted that SHA does not and will not disburse funds to nonexistent or uncontracted facilities. While revealing that every payment is subject to rigorous verification to safeguard public funds and strengthen health service delivery.
“SHA does not and will never disburse funds to nonexistent or uncontracted facilities. Every payment is subject to rigorous verification to safeguard public funds and strengthen health service delivery,” she said.