Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has dismissed concerns raised by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale regarding his academic qualifications and management of the country’s health sector.
On Sunday, September 7, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale urged President William Ruto to intervene in the implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA), arguing that it was not functioning effectively.
He went further to question Duale’s academic background, claiming that Kenyans were unaware of the CS’s qualifications and accusing him of playing politics with the SHA and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
"Mr President, I'm a professional doctor, listen to me. SHA is not working. Ruto, Kenyans don't know what degree CS Duale has. He is playing politics with SHA and NHIF," he said.
In his response, Duale dismissed the concerns raised by Khalwale, noting that his focus remains on transforming the health sector.
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"Senator, my academic papers are within the precinct of Parliament (Hansard and committee reports) and submitted to the vetting committee of the National Assembly twice.
"Discuss substance, not personalities. I will always have respect for Parliament and its leadership. My focus is on health reforms. Period," he said.
This comes two weeks after Khalwale asked Ruto to demonstrate his commitment to fighting corruption in government by dismissing Duale and Social Health Authority (SHA) chairperson Abdi Mohamed over fraud allegations.
In a statement on Thursday, August 28, Khalwale said SHA had come under scrutiny over allegations of irregular disbursements and payments to ghost health facilities.
"If the President ever wanted his commitment to fight corruption to be believable, this is the perfect opportunity. He must immediately dismiss these two suspected (Aden Duale and Mohamed Abdi) fraudsters even as Kenyans await their arrest and prosecution in court," he said.
Notably, Khalwale’s remarks came a day after Members of Parliament allied to the Kenya Moja faction demanded the immediate resignation of Duale and Abdi.
Addressing the press on Wednesday, August 27, the MPs accused the Health CS and SHA Chairperson of conflict of interest.
The lawmakers alleged that CS Duale is associated with the company that developed the Social Health Authority (SHA) system.
"We demand the immediate resignation of honorable Aden Duale, the CS for Health, for conflict of interest, complacency, trying to hoodwink Kenyans with theatrics of summoning the media to harass facilities, and suspending some facilities. He has been talking tough out here, putting on a face just to hoodwink Kenyans," Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi said.
