Gachagua, Duale clash over alleged Ksh.103B SHA scandal

Democracy for Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has unveiled what he claims is a Social Health Authority (SHA) dossier, alleging that up to Ksh.103 billion was misappropriated during the rollout of the universal health scheme.

Speaking to the media in Wote, Makueni County, the former Deputy President accused Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale of being linked to a company within a consortium allegedly siphoning millions through fraudulent schemes.

“Aden Duale did challenge me to give information and facts…” Gachagua said.

“Duale asked me to provide proof that his name is there… he thinks Kenyans are fools… his name cannot be there…”

Gachagua further accused the Health CS of crippling the health sector, warning that the SHA insurance scheme is on the brink of collapse.

“Duale, you cannot ask us to provide a CR12 that bears your name… we know you… You are behind the rot in the health sector," said Gachagua.

The former Deputy President alleged that Ksh.103 billion was siphoned off through the systematic setup of the Social Health Authority, diverting funds from the now-defunct NHIF.

“NHIF proposed Ksh.800 million, instead, William Ruto, with a scheme to loot, removed NHIF and brought SHA with an aim of looting. Only one billion was used to set up SHA, the rest Ksh.103 billion shillings was stolen…” He added.

In a statement to newsrooms, Health CS Aden Duale responded to the allegations, maintaining his innocence.

“I have publicly dared Gachagua, repeatedly, to produce a CR12 document from the Business Registration Service. This single sheet of paper would instantly reveal the shareholders and directors of Convergence Network Limited, the company he claims I own 17 per cent of," stated Duale.

“Yet Gachagua has refused. Why? Because the CR12 would expose his lies and reveal that his entire campaign is built on something far uglier than corruption allegations — tribal hatred.”

Duale further dismissed claims that a director linked to the firm is his proxy.

“Gachagua alleges that Mr Abdullahi Abdi Sheikh, director of Konvergenz Network Solutions, is my proxy. His evidence? We are both Somali. That is it. That is the entire ‘proof.’ In Gachagua’s narrow worldview, any Somali businessperson succeeding in Kenya must automatically be a front for another Somali politician. A very unfortunate racial bookkeeping," Duale noted.

“And that these are verifiable, registered, traceable evidence. There are no ghosts. No proxies. Just Kenyan entrepreneurs who happen to share an ethnicity that Gachagua finds politically convenient to demonise.”

Meanwhile, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki defended the performance of the SHA, dismissing Gachagua as a prophet of doom. He noted that while only 7 million Kenyans were covered under NHIF in 2022, the SHA now covers 32 million citizens.

“But I underestimate their frustration. They cannot see anything good being done by the government because when they were in office, they did nothing to improve the lives of Kenyans. They wasted their time doing useless things, quarrelling, and sabotaging the President and eventually had to be kicked out. They cannot believe that we are delivering tangible development for all Kenyans," Kindiki said.