The Social Health Authority (SHA) has suffered another blow after the High Court issued conservatory orders on Monday, March 24, halting the recruitment process for several key positions.
In the ruling, Justice Lawrence N. Mugambi responded to a petition filed by the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), which challenged the legality of the recruitment drive.
The judge ordered that the petition and supporting documents be served by close of business on March 24, 2025, with responses expected to be filed within the next three days.
"Pending the hearing and determination of the application, a conservatory order is hereby issued restraining the respondent, its employees, officers, agents, or persons acting under its instructions from proceeding with the planned interviews and recruitment of employees on the basis of the impugned advertisement," the ruling read in part.
Following the ruling, the Social Health Authority has been rendered unable to hire officers and agents until the case is heard.
SHA had recently embarked on a recruitment drive, seeking to fill key positions, including Assistant Director of County Coordination, Director of Benefits Management, and Principal Officers.
However, KUCO, which has been highly critical of the new medical scheme that replaced the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), claimed the hiring process was illegal.
The union, which has consistently issued strike threats over various issues, also recently faulted two senior officials within SHA for reportedly being the reason the new Taifa Care rollout was experiencing challenges.
KUCO particularly called for the removal of the Social Health Authority (SHA) Chairperson Abdi Mohamed and CEO Robert Ingasira, accusing the duo of facilitating the implementation of unfavourable policies in the new health system.
According to KUCO Chairperson Peterson Wachira, the policies have restricted medical workers and health facilities in the country from providing quality health services.
"We have identified the problem with SHA, and the problem is the people who are heading it, especially the chair and the CEO, and we continue to call on Parliament that if the CS cannot replace these people, Parliament should remove them from those offices," he said on Saturday, March 22.
Meanwhile, the next hearing following the conservatory orders has been set for April 10.
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