President William Ruto with Turkana grassroot leaders. Photo/Statehouse
By Daisy Okiring
The government will pay Social Health Authority (SHA) contributions for 1.5 million Kenyans who cannot afford the mandatory fees, President William Ruto has announced.
Speaking at State House Nairobi on Tuesday during a meeting with grassroots leaders from Turkana County, President Ruto said the payments will begin next week as part of his administration’s push for universal healthcare.
“We have identified 1.5 million Kenyans who are unable to pay. The government will cater for them to ensure no one is left behind in accessing healthcare,” he stated.
The Head of State also disclosed plans to engage governors and Members of Parliament, urging them to support an additional one million Kenyans who fall in the vulnerable category.
Universal access to health
President Ruto emphasized that SHA contributions, pegged at 2.75 per cent of income, are equitable and have provided government with the resources to cushion vulnerable households.
“Unlike NHIF, which mainly supported salaried and employed people, SHA is designed for all Kenyans. Healthcare is not the privilege of a few—it is a right for everyone,” he said.
The President noted that SHA remittances are now channeled directly to hospitals instead of county governments, ensuring that facilities are adequately funded to provide quality services.
He cautioned dispensaries, health centres, and sub-county hospitals against charging patients for outpatient care, warning that the government had already allocated Ksh.21 billion to cover such expenses.
Read More: Governors demand funds and consultations before absorbing UHC staff
Development focus in Turkana
Beyond healthcare, President Ruto highlighted new development projects in Turkana County, which he said would benefit from affirmative action to bridge regional disparities.
On infrastructure, the allocation for roads in the county has grown from Ksh.290 million in the last financial year to Ksh.5.3 billion. Major projects include the upgrade of the Maili Tisa–Kitale–Morpus–Kainuk–Lokichar road and the construction of the Kakuma–Tondonyang–Lokitaung–Kalokol and Lodibing–Nadapal roads.
Ruto also outlined a Ksh.1.6 billion investment to boost fishing around Lake Turkana, including the establishment of cold storage facilities and modern fish markets in Kalokol and Lowoarangak.
“We are building fish markets at a cost of Ksh.700 million to transform the fishing industry and enhance food security in the region,” he explained.
Other projects include a Ksh.2.3 billion rural electrification programme, a Ksh.900 million modern stadium in Lodwar, and the expansion of the Turkwel Irrigation Scheme with a Ksh.2.5 billion allocation, which is expected to bring up to 100,000 acres of land under cultivation in Turkana and West Pokot.
Read More: Ministry of Health shuts down over 500 hospitals, revokes 456 licenses
Investment in education and health facilities
President Ruto announced that the Kenya Defence Forces will equip and upgrade Lodwar County Referral Hospital. Additionally, Ksh.2.3 billion has been set aside for hostels at Kenya Medical Training College campuses, technical colleges, and universities in the region.
“These investments will provide safe and dignified housing for our students while improving healthcare capacity in the county,” he said.
Ruto reiterated his administration’s commitment to equal development across the country, saying the measures being rolled out in Turkana reflect a deliberate effort to deliver inclusive growth.
“This is how we advance shared prosperity—through bold and deliberate actions that ensure every Kenyan, regardless of where they live, has access to opportunities and essential services,” he concluded.
Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul, MPs, and MCAs were present at the meeting.
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