NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 The Social Health Authority (SHA) has defended its ongoing recruitment drive, reaffirming that the process is transparent, inclusive and based on merit, amid public scrutiny over recent appointments.
In a statement issued on Saturday, SHA said it is in the process of recruiting 815 officers across various cadres to support the rollout of the new social health insurance model. So far, 144 officers — about 17 percent of the target workforce — have been hired, with additional recruitment phases planned in the coming weeks.
The Authority said the recruitment is being conducted in line with the Constitution, the Social Health Insurance Act, and the National Cohesion and Integration Act, with deliberate efforts to ensure national representation.
According to SHA, newly recruited staff come from 24 different ethnic communities, a move it says reflects Kenya’s diversity and supports equitable service delivery across the country.
SHA also said it has exceeded the statutory requirement of employing at least five percent of its workforce from Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), noting that qualified individuals with disabilities have been placed in various roles within the Authority.
On the transition from the now-defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), SHA said former NHIF staff whose roles align with its mandate have been given priority consideration, as provided for under the Social Health Insurance Act No. 16 of 2023.
However, the Authority emphasized that such consideration does not amount to automatic employment.
“Former NHIF staff still undergo rigorous assessment to ensure they meet the required competency and integrity standards,” SHA said, adding that the approach is meant to preserve institutional knowledge without compromising merit.
The Authority also addressed reports circulating online about its recruitment, dismissing claims based on what it termed as partial and unofficial lists.
SHA said the circulating information does not reflect the full scope of the ongoing recruitment and lacks proper context, urging the public to rely only on official communication channels for accurate updates.
