Former CEO Defends NHIF Record, Questions SHA Rollout

Former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Mwangi has opened up about what he described as a controversial period that preceded the transition to the Social Health Authority (SHA), claiming NHIF officials were unfairly targeted before the government rolled out the new healthcare system.

Speaking to the media on October 6, marking two years since the introduction of SHA and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), Mwangi said the leadership of the defunct NHIF became the focus of accusations and investigations as the institution was being phased out.

He maintained that cases brought against him and other officials eventually collapsed, and insisted NHIF was not given credit for its achievements.

“At one point it looked like people had already decided we were guilty before the cases were heard, yet many of those cases eventually collapsed,” Mwangi said.

NHIF CEO Defends Record

Mwangi argued that NHIF had built a strong health insurance system that served millions of Kenyans and questioned the narrative that the institution had completely failed.

According to him, NHIF had about six million active contributors before its dissolution, a number he said remains higher than the current number of active contributors under SHA.

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The former NHIF boss said the biggest challenge facing SHA is not registration but revenue collection. 

He noted that while the authority has registered more than 32 million Kenyans, only about 5 million are active contributors.

Mwangi argued that a health insurance program cannot survive on registration numbers alone and warned against equating registrations with financial sustainability.

He said the real measure of success should be the number of people making regular contributions and the system’s ability to finance healthcare services.

He also pointed to trust as a critical factor in the success of any insurance scheme, saying contributors must be confident that they will receive services when they need them.

“Insurance, you need to have trust for people to pay. Remember, you are selling a promise,” Mwangi stated.

Leaders Defend SHA’s Progress

However, leaders defending the government’s healthcare reforms pushed back against Mwangi’s claims.

Kacheliba MP Titus Lotee said SHA has recorded significant achievements in its first two years and has expanded access to healthcare for millions of Kenyans.

He argued that the authority’s rising registration figures show growing public confidence in the program.

Kiminini MP Kakai Bisau also defended the authority, saying SHA has registered more than 32 million Kenyans and collected over Sh203 billion since it became operational.

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Lawyer Titus Makhanu criticized the decision to replace NHIF, arguing that the government should have prioritized reforms within the existing institution instead of abolishing it.

Makhanu questioned the value of the digital infrastructure supporting SHA and cited concerns the Auditor-General previously highlighted about certain payments linked to the system.

He further argued that many Kenyans still struggle to access medical services despite the reforms, raising concerns about service delivery and implementation.

The discussion also examined the gap between registration and contribution levels, with participants agreeing that sustaining the program will require more active contributors in the years ahead.

Bisau said the transition to SHA should be viewed as a long-term reform process rather than a one-time event, noting that challenges experienced during implementation were expected given the scale of the changes being introduced across the healthcare system.

The panel also discussed the ongoing transition to the Health Management Information System (HMIS), with participants noting that the migration period has been extended to October 14, 2026, to allow health facilities and stakeholders to complete implementation arrangements.

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