The VIP side of SHA: Inside Sh90m cover for Uhuru, Kalonzo, seven others

While millions of Kenyans struggle to navigate the Social Health Authority (SHA) system, waiting for pre-authorisations or abandoning treatment because of delayed reimbursing their facilities, four senior officials and their spouses are receiving smooth services under the same scheme.

They include a retired president, two ex-vice presidents and their spouses.

A letter dated January 29, 2026, written by SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi and addressed to State House Comptroller Mr Katoo Ole Metito, reveals that SHA was requesting the release of Sh90 million to ensure seamless implementation and continuity of cover for the beneficiaries.

"Thank you for engaging SHA to provide comprehensive medical cover for eligible beneficiaries under the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act No. 11 of 2003 and Retirement Benefits (Deputy President and Designated State Officers) Act No. 8 of 2015, under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF)," the letter titled “Resource Need for Medical Cover for Beneficiaries under Presidential and Deputy President Retirement Acts” reads in part.

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The cover is administered through the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, with State House as the accounting officer responsible for making annual payments to SHA on behalf of the beneficiaries.

"Attached to this letter is Debit Note No SHA/DR/002/2026 amounting to Sh90 million, representing the estimated resource requirement to provide medical cover for the nine eligible government beneficiaries. Kindly arrange for settlement of the above amount to facilitate seamless implementation and continuity of cover for the beneficiaries," Dr Mwangangi writes.

The Sh90 million is divided into two components: Sh80 million for comprehensive outpatient, inpatient, dental, optical and emergency services for the nine beneficiaries for the period July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, and an additional Sh10 million as a buffer for excess-of-loss costs. The funds are to be received into the SHA Public Officers Medical Fund Account at Stanbic Bank Kenya, Upper Hill branch.

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Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the beneficiaries to the Nation. They are former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his spouse, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and his spouse, former President Jomo Kenyatta's widow Mama Ngina Kenyatta, former Vice President Moody Awori and his spouse, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's widow Ida Odinga, and the remaining recognised beneficiaries under the two retirement Acts.

The original quotation of Sh90 million was prepared when Raila Odinga was still alive, bringing the total to nine beneficiaries. The amount is now likely to be reduced after Odinga’s death in October 2025.

"We cover them, and State House pays for them. Their accounting officer is at State House and deals specifically with former presidents and vice presidents," CS Duale told the Nation.

"It is just like the SHIF (Social Health Insurance Fund) deductions that employers pay to SHA, or the National Treasury paying for teachers, police and civil servants. Everybody who is entitled by law, including our senior citizens, is paid for by their accounting officers," he said.

Mr Duale also confirmed that a former vice president has submitted a request for enhanced cover beyond his current statutory entitlement under SHA, and that the request is currently on his desk awaiting a decision.

Mr Musyoka has been among the most vocal public critics of SHA since its launch, repeatedly stating that the system is not functional, citing alleged corruption within the authority and questioning its capacity to serve ordinary Kenyans.

"He has been quietly enrolled in the very system he says does not work, receiving cover paid for by State House on his behalf, and has now gone further by requesting that his benefits under that same system be enhanced, yet in public rallies he claims it is not working," said a State House official, who sought anonymity.

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Mr Musyoka is not alone in his public criticism of SHA. Ordinary members and hospital owners have repeatedly described the system as dysfunctional.

Cancer patients in Kisumu have slept in corridors waiting for biometric verification under this same system. Women in labour at public hospitals have been turned away because SHA pre-authorisation had not been cleared.

Ordinary Kenyans contribute to this system from their wages, their small business earnings and their Lipa SHA Pole Pole instalments, and navigate its failures daily.

The nine beneficiaries in this letter do none of that navigating. Their Sh90 million is transferred from State House to SHA in a single transaction, and their cover is seamless by design.

Beyond the base premium, the debit note specifies that the Sh90 million covers comprehensive outpatient and inpatient services, dental care, optical care and emergency services for all nine beneficiaries for a full financial year, with the Sh10 million buffer providing an additional cushion that most SHA members do not have access to.

Under SHA's standard benefits package, the same beneficiaries would also be entitled to specialised care, surgical procedures, oncology cover of up to Sh800,000 per year, and overseas treatment for 36 specific medical interventions identified as unavailable locally, with a maximum payable amount of Sh500,000 per overseas referral. These are not standard entitlements for the average Kenyan enrolled under SHA.

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