The arrests mark a new phase in the government’s effort to clean up financial malpractice in the Social Health Authority and protect public funds under the universal health coverage plan.
Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have intensified their efforts to expose financial misconduct in the country’s public health sector, arresting nine people, including a former senior official of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The arrests come as part of a nationwide crackdown on suspected fraud within SHA and its partner health facilities, which oversee implementation of Kenya’s Social Health Insurance (SHI) programme, a key pillar of the government’s universal health coverage (UHC) agenda.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspects are accused of submitting falsified documents, making irregular payments, and breaching established financial procedures. The cases, now approved for prosecution by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), are linked to fraudulent health claims and improper authorisation of funds.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin said the arrests highlight the government’s determination to ensure transparency and accountability in healthcare financing.
Investigators said that in one instance, a health facility received payments months before its contract was formally signed, raising serious concerns about how SHI funds were being managed.
Two individuals were also arrested in Nairobi County for allegedly filing fake medical claims, while several health workers in Homa Bay County were detained for forging patient records and handling proceeds of crime. The fraud claims in Homa Bay alone are estimated at Sh17.6 million.
These arrests come amid growing public concern over misuse of funds in Kenya’s health system, especially as the government pushes to expand affordable healthcare access nationwide.
The DCI said the ongoing operation is aimed at “safeguarding public funds and reinforcing integrity” within the new SHA framework, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund earlier this year.
Officials said more arrests and prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s fight against healthcare-related corruption.
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