A section of Kenyan legislators led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has given Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale 48 hours to resign from his position in the Health Ministry.
The legislators, under a rising political group known as ‘Kenya Moja’, cited the alleged fraud involving billions of shillings at the Social Health Authority (SHA) as the main reason behind the issued ultimatum.
Failure to resign by Duale would result in the triggering of an impeachment motion against the CS, who has gained significant national attention since ascending to his role as Health CS.
Aside from Sifuna, the group was also comprised of Bomachoge Borabu Member of Parliament (MP) Obadia Barongo, Clive Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba), Tonny Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South), and Wilber Oundo (Funyula).
“If in the next 48 to 72 hours Honourable Duale does not resign, we are looking at impeachment as one of the possible avenues to ensure he is removed from office,” asserted Kibagendi.
The group also demanded the immediate resignation of embattled SHA chair Abdi Mohammed, who has been embroiled in an alleged conflict of interest case at SHA.
SHA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mercy Mwangangi was also not spared, with the leaders also demanding her resignation.
They accused Duale and influential figures from State House of being behind the alleged fraud at the Authority, after it reports of suspected irregular disbursements, including payments made to ghost facilities, emerged.
“The chief architects of this scheme are Honourable Duale and the people at State House. Duale and his associates, and the surrogates at State House, should not try to hoodwink Kenyans and divert their attention,” Kibagendi stated.
However, Duale had on Monday, August 26, exposed massive fraud at SHA, with investigations uncovering disturbing trends, including upcoding, falsification of medical records, converting outpatient visits into inpatient admissions, and phantom billing for non-existent patients.
He announced a crackdown on facilities defrauding the Authority, further informing that claims worth Ksh10.6 billion had been rejected due to fraudulent activities or non-compliance.
After Duale’s revelation, reports emerged that the public payment portal for SHA and the Kenya Master Health Facility Registry (KMHFR), used to track payments and publicise hospitals receiving SHA claims, had been pulled down.
This led to claims of an alleged cover-up at the Ministry of Health, even as Duale pledged his commitment to spearhead reforms in the SHA, despite ongoing negative commentary from a section of Kenyans.
He further claimed that a well-orchestrated scheme by some groups, including the media, had been recruited to water down the government's efforts to reform the health sector.
