Willis Otieno faults Duale after convening meeting to clear NHIF debts
By David Nthua, October 3, 2025Constitutional Lawyer Willis Otieno has come out guns blazing to accuse Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale of promoting bureaucracy on a critical matter such as healthcare.
Through a post on X on Friday, October 3, 2025, the lawyer wondered why a whole CS would organise a high-level meeting to deliberate on issues such as National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) debt when the process is clearly outlined in the Constitution.
Also watch: “SHA will settle all the hospital claims by the 14th of each month” – CS Duale
Lawyer Willis Otieno slams Duale
In a series of pointed posts, Otieno questioned the government’s approach, asking, “Isn’t this just bureaucracy on top of bureaucracy?
“How do new desks and managers fix the core problem of delayed payments and broken trust between government and providers?”
He further raised concerns over Kenya’s reliance on donor-funded programs, noting, “You praise foreign programs, but what’s the plan when America’s ‘America First’ policy eventually cuts funding? Isn’t UHC under this model dangerously over-dependent on donors?”
On the pending NHIF debt, Otieno demanded clarity, asking, “What is the empirical repayment schedule, including dates, amounts, beneficiaries, and how will progress be independently verified and published?
“What statistical model or risk framework was used to prioritise facilities owed Ksh 1–10 million over those owed larger sums?”
Duale rushes to streamline SHA
Health CS Aden Duale had earlier convened a high-level engagement with private healthcare providers and senior management of the Social Health Authority (SHA) to strengthen service delivery under Kenya’s Taifa Care Model.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from seven counties representing 103 health facilities and focused on sustaining services during the early roll-out of Social Health Insurance (SHI), capacity building on the new system, and clearing pending NHIF debts.
Also watch: “Health is not just about systems; it is about trust, dignity, and community” – Duale
Duale assured participants that the government would begin repayment of outstanding NHIF bills amounting to Ksh 5.3 billion, prioritising facilities owed between Ksh 1–10 million, while larger claims would undergo independent verification.
Practical measures, including the appointment of SHA relationship managers, a joint service desk at SHA headquarters and Huduma Centres, and real-time alerts on policy changes, were also agreed.
The CS highlighted that private providers and faith-based organisations would be fully integrated into the county-to-county rollout of Taifa Care, emphasising shared responsibility in expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare.
He further stressed the importance of safeguarding gains from partnerships such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the President’s Malaria Initiative under the America First Global Health Strategy.
Duale was joined by Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga, Director General for Health Patrick Amoth, SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi, DHA CEO Anthony Lenayara, KMPDC CEO David Kariuki, and other senior Ministry officials.
Willis Otieno’s posts, however, suggest that while the intentions may be noble, the approach risks creating layers of bureaucracy that could delay meaningful action for healthcare providers and patients alike.