Willis Otieno slams govt over upfront SHA payment
By Mustafa Juma, August 5, 2025Political analyst and advocate Willis Otieno has sharply criticised the government’s requirement for full-year upfront payments under the Social Health Authority (SHA) plan.
Taking to his official X account in the wee hours of Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Otieno slammed the move, calling it exclusionary and out of touch with the realities of millions of Kenyans.
He further questioned the logic behind demanding Ksh6,000 — or more for families — before citizens can access healthcare services, especially in a country where most people rely on informal, unstable incomes.
“Why does the government demand full-year SHA payment upfront? In a country where most people are on informal or inconsistent incomes, demanding an upfront payment of KSh 6,000 (or more for families) is not only tone-deaf, it’s exclusionary. A worker earning Ksh 10,000 a month is expected to cough up nearly three-quarters of their salary just to register before they ever see a doctor,” he stated.
Health financing
He emphasised that a truly inclusive and equitable healthcare system must be flexible, income-sensitive, and protective of the vulnerable, not one that penalises the poor by erecting financial barriers at the point of entry.
“This kills the very spirit of progressive health financing, which should be flexible, income-sensitive, and protective of the vulnerable,” he wrote on X.
Duale’s fresh directive
Otieno’s remarks come hours after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that, effective immediately, the SHA has discontinued the use of One-Time Password (OTP)-based authorisation for service approvals.
Moving forward, all verifications must be completed through biometric health IDs or the Practice 360 app to ensure enhanced security and efficiency in healthcare service delivery.
The Health CS made his remarks on Monday, August 4, 2025, while at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital, further acknowledging the hospital levels that can now use the biometric health ID.
“With immediate effect, SHA will no longer accept OTP-based authorisation. All approvals must be completed using biometric health ID or the Practice 360 app,” Duale said.
Likewise, according to the Health CS, the biometric registration is now live in select levels of health facilities. Duale has said that levels 4, 5, and 6 are now able to use the biometric system.