Leader of majority in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung'wah has defended President William Ruto against criticism over policies viewed by a section of Kenyans as unpopular.
Speaking on Tuesday during debate on the President's State of the Nation address he delivered before a joint sitting of Parliament last Thursday, Ichung'wah said time will vindicate Ruto when all the goodies he has pledged under some of the policies come to fruition.
"When you do what is right, time will vindicate you," he said.
"I'm very confident Mr Speaker, time will vindicate this Kenya Kwanza administration, time will vindicate the President that those who talk about Ruto and lies will know that there's nothing about lies with President William Ruto," he added.
Ichung'wah spoke on a day a number of MPs criticised particularly the newly-introduced Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) that replaced the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Whereas they said the programme managed by the Social Health Authority (SHA) was flawless on paper, its immaculate presentation had failed to be replicated on the ground where it mattered most.
“I have so many questions to ask on the
President’s speech and wish these issues could actually be put into context. One,
I think the concept of SHA was very beautiful but the implementation as far as
I’m concerned remains a scam,” Makueni MP Suzanne Kiamba said.
Kiamba, like several of her colleagues, called for a review of the programme, saying the model as is currently promises more than it can deliver particularly regarding treatment of chronic illnessess.
“Let’s unpack this and let’s not pretend that we are
newcomers in Kenya. If you give Sh6,000 for dialysis per family, what actually
are you giving?” she asked.
“That’s a big joke, I think that needs to
be reviewed.”
In response to several such comments from a number of MPs, Ichung'wah said Ruto's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda will in future be a success story that will put its critics to shame.
"When he said in Swahili 'tutawainua wale walioko mavumbini wakule meza moja na wafalme' (we shall uplift the destitute to dine with kings)...I have seen men who are boda boda riders, mama mbogas testifying online how they have benefitted like the Honourable Pauline Lenguris from Taifa Care," he said.
During his speech, Ruto introduced the new term Taifa Care in reference to SHIF, a term that also attracted criticism from Makueni's Suzanne Kiamba.
"How many things are being introduced outside this Parliament?”
Kiamba asked, saying introducing new terms on policy matters runs the risk of eroding public trust in the very policies they are expected to embrace.
"I was very shocked to hear Taifa Care while I knew very well we had SHA and we had SHIF, which we all knew.“
Ichung'wah said if an MP can testify about the success of Taifa Care as much as a boda boda rider does, then talk about the new healthcare insurance cover being a scam has no place.
"I believe truely that failure is not an option and nobody should ever pray that this nation fails. If we are speaking of national values, part of those national values is patriotism. Praying and hoping that your President fails is the height of unpatriotism," the Kikuyu MP said.
Ichung'wah spoke on the same day government released Sh3.7 billion in pending bills owed to health facilities by NHIF across the country.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the funds include Sh1.4 billion for claims accrued under the defunct NHIF and SHA as it continues to take shape.
