Seasoned human rights advocate Dr. Isaac Newton Kinity has demanded a clear account of funds held by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) before its transition to the Social Health Authority (SHA), as the government moves healthcare providers from the SHA platform to the Health Management Information System (HMIS).
In a press statement dated October 2, 2026, the former workers’ union leader questioned how much money was held by NHIF before the transition, how much was transferred to the new system and how those funds were subsequently accounted for. Kinity has also questioned the amount of money collected under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and what happened to those contributions before the latest transition to HMIS.
The questions come as the government implements another major change to Kenya’s health information infrastructure, with healthcare providers being moved from the SHA Provider Portal to the SHA Health Management Information System. The Ministry of Health has described the transition as part of efforts to establish an integrated digital health system for eligibility verification, claims processing and management of health information.
Kinity wants the government to publish a comprehensive financial account of the NHIF-to-SHA transition, including the fund’s assets, liabilities, outstanding claims and balances at the time of the handover.
His questions come against findings by the Auditor-General that raised concerns about the NHIF transition process. The audit found that the NHIF Transition Committee’s term expired before an assets and liabilities transfer and handover plan was formulated, and that there was no evidence that its report had been adopted for implementation.
The former union leader is also questioning the finances surrounding the new health insurance framework, including the KSh104.8 billion healthcare information technology arrangement that has attracted scrutiny from the Auditor-General.
The Auditor-General previously reported that value for money could not be confirmed in relation to the technology procurement and raised questions concerning the contractual arrangements and ownership of the system. The figure, however, should not be interpreted as KSh104.8 billion that was simply paid out or lost. It refers to the value of the contractual technology arrangement over its stated period.
Kinity says Kenyans should be told how much SHIF has collected, how much has been paid out in claims, how much remains available and how much has been spent on administration and technology.
The financial position inherited from NHIF has remained an issue since the transition. The government has previously acknowledged substantial outstanding NHIF obligations, including unpaid claims to healthcare providers, and has committed funds towards settling verified liabilities.
Kinity argues that changing the names and systems without providing a complete public account of the money involved risks leaving Kenyans with more questions than answers.
He has also turned his attention to Parliament, questioning why legislators who have constitutional oversight powers do not act more aggressively when concerns over corruption and misuse of public resources emerge.
According to Kinity, Kenyan legislators have often remained quiet during much of their five-year terms and become more vocal about corruption and the suffering of citizens as elections approach. He argues that this pattern contributes to what he describes as a culture of recycling political leaders rather than addressing the underlying problems of governance.
Kinity further warns against repeatedly returning politicians associated with previous administrations to positions of leadership. He argues that replacing one administration with another without addressing corruption and accountability would not resolve the economic and social difficulties facing millions of Kenyans, including young people.
He has particularly urged young Kenyans to remain engaged in the country’s political process ahead of the 2027 elections, saying they should register as voters and remain focused on issues affecting their future.
Kinity’s statement also raises questions about Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, whom President William Ruto publicly described as a friend following Chivayo’s death in a helicopter crash alongside his wife and other passengers on September 30, 2026.
Kinity asks whether Chivayo had any connection to the issues currently facing Kenya. However, his statement does not provide evidence establishing such a connection, and no such link should be treated as established without supporting evidence.
The wider health-financing questions remain separate and are supported by documented government and audit records.
As Kenya moves from the old NHIF structure to SHA and SHIF, and healthcare providers transition from the SHA Provider Portal to HMIS, Kinity is calling for a full public accounting of the resources involved in each stage.
His central demand is for Kenyans to be told what NHIF held before the transition, what was transferred, what liabilities were inherited, how much SHIF has collected and spent, and what the government has ultimately acquired through the successive health-system reforms.
Leave a comment