Let’s fix rather than replace key systems

Kenya’s approach to reform has become increasingly reactive. When public systems begin to falter, the response is often to discard them and introduce new ones, rather than address the underlying weaknesses. This tendency, now evident across key sectors, risks entrenching instability instead of delivering lasting solutions.

The transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA) reflects this challenge. Although intended to improve access and efficiency, SHA’s rollout has been marked by confusion and operational difficulties. Many of these issues mirror the very weaknesses that affected NHIF.
A similar pattern is evident in the education sector.