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Andrew Rotich (middle), the outgoing Deputy Director for audit at the Social Health Authority (SHA), who led the uncovering of an alleged fraudulent medical billing scheme involving hospitals.
Accountants have demanded the enactment of whistleblower laws to protect individuals like Social Health Authority (SHA) auditor Andrew Rotich, who has lost his deputy director position despite unearthing a medical billing fraud scheme that led to the closure of 1,300 health facilities.
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) holds that the removal of Mr Rotich and two other deputy directors is malicious and could discourage accountants and auditors from revealing fraud and theft in State institutions.
The umbrella body’s protests against Mr Rotich’s removal from the position came as detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said that they have set a two-month deadline to complete a probe into a dossier on the billing fraud, which the SHA auditor helped unearth.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale presented thousands of files to the DCI in September, maintaining that officials of health facilities found claiming payment for services not rendered will be prosecuted.
Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin has constituted a team drawing membership from the Serious Crimes Unit, Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit, and the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit.
The team also has individuals from the Kenya Revenue Authority and the finance and audit departments of the Ministry of Health and SHA.
A detective familiar with the investigations said that the team met Mr Amin at the DCI’s Mazingira House headquarters on Tuesday, and told their boss that the first stage of the probe – verification of documents in the Duale dossier – is complete.
The team is expected to start recording statements from officials of health facilities implicated in the dossier next week.
Andrew Rotich, the outgoing Deputy Director for audit at the Social Health Authority (SHA), who led the uncovering of an alleged fraudulent medical billing scheme involving hospitals.
Mr Rotich was appointed deputy director, forensic audit and risk assurance in April 2025.
But the High Court in July faulted SHA for limiting the director and deputy director vacancies to former National Health Insurance Fund staff, with Justice Byram Ongaya ordering a fresh process.
Mr Rotich applied for the same position, but was not shortlisted. Two other deputy directors – Reuben Mutwiri Mutuura (county coordination) and Halima Gurai Saney (provider management) – were also not shortlisted.
The shortlist for assistant directors is yet to be released, while applications for the various director positions close on Friday.
On Wednesday, ICPAK chairman Prof Elizabeth Kalunda led other officials in presenting a formal statement to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in which they requested the agency to ensure fairness in Mr Rotich’s treatment.
“While recruitment processes are the prerogative of appointing authorities, the circumstances surrounding the non-inclusion of CPA Rotich and two other deputy directors in the latest shortlist raise issues of public interest,” Prof Kalunda said.
“Does that mean that members who are doing what they are supposed to do are the ones who are getting out? We stress that this issue relates to an individual and the principle that professionals serving the public interest must be protected from vulnerability,” the ICPAK chairman added.
ICPAK said that previous audit findings done by Mr Rotich unearthed losses that the country’s health insurer incurred.
The accountants held that if such removals are made normal, professionals will be discouraged from speaking out on accountability matters.
Prof Kalunda called for the formation of a national whistleblower policy and the fast-tracking of the Whistleblower Act.
“This comprehensive approach strengthens ethical conduct within the profession by holding both county heads and our own members accountable if found guilty.
ICPAK asked SHA and other State institutions to engage the umbrella body whenever there are issues surrounding its member accountants to ensure that they are resolved fairly.
