The recent revelations by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu regarding the Sh104.8 billion Social Health Authority project raise critical questions about the Kenyan government’s priorities and decision-making processes.
Despite the significant public investment, the government has proceeded with a system that it neither owns nor controls, effectively ceding authority to a private consortium.
This situation is alarming. Gathungu’s report highlights that all ownership—including infrastructure and intellectual property—remains with the consortium, undermining the government’s ability to oversee and implement health policies effectively.
How can the government guarantee quality care and accountability when it lacks control over a system intended to serve its citizens?
This was the same case with the eCitizen platform which for years was in private hands until it was acquired by the state.
The public deserves transparency and assurance that their tax money is not merely funding private profit. As we reflect on these findings, we must demand clarity from our leaders.
How will they ensure that the SHA serves the interests of the Kenyan people rather than those of a private entity?
It is time for a reevaluation of this project and a commitment to safeguarding public resources for the public good.
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Quote of the day: “Declarations of high
confidence mainly tell you that an individual
has constructed a coherent story in his
mind, not necessarily that the story is
true.”—Israeli economist and Nobel laureate
Daniel Kahneman was born on March 5, 1934
