Social Health Authority (SHA) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mercy Mwangangi was on Wednesday put on the defensive before the Public Investments Committee (PIC) over questionable legal expenditures inherited from the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
The committee, chaired by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe, raised red flags over a staggering Ksh.77 million paid to three law firms to recover a debt of just Ksh.13 million during the 2020/2021 financial year.
The total legal fees flagged for that period amounted to Ksh.247 million.Dr. Mwangangi, appearing before the committee, promised to submit a comprehensive report within three weeks.
However, MPs pressed her to take responsibility, noting that the public holds her accountable as the current head of SHA.
“We are not in that institution. We are looking at you. Kenyans know you; they don’t know who left the institution,” said PIC Vice Chair Caleb Amisi.
“Being new is not an excuse.”Wangwe further questioned whether the SHA had responded to audit queries, suggesting that previous management letters from the Auditor General had gone unanswered.
SHA Chief Financial Officer Robert Ingasira acknowledged that the documents under scrutiny were inherited from NHIF and had not been submitted to the Auditor General at the time.
Dr. Mwangangi added that reforms have since been implemented to improve transparency and service delivery.
“The current SHA benefit structure is itemised, gazetted by law, and publicly accessible,” she said.
Beyond the audit concerns, legislators urged SHA to consider amending the Social Health Insurance Act to address public concerns.
One key issue raised was the restriction on multiple surgeries within a short timeframe under the current law.“Kenyans are feeling the pinch. Someone who needs a second surgery within six months is denied coverage.
That needs to change,” Wangwe noted.Dr. Mwangangi responded that the Health Benefits Advisory Panel is actively reviewing such feedback and that future adjustments will be guided by disease burden and available resources.
Despite the grilling, Dr. Mwangangi maintained that SHA represents a significant improvement over NHIF, citing better governance structures and clearer benefit frameworks. She called on MPs to support public awareness campaigns to encourage citizen enrollment.
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