Governor Barasa: SHA has paid Ksh98M to St Mary’s hospital
By Mabonga Makhanu, September 3, 2025Kakamega Governor Fernandez Barasa has confirmed the payment of Ksh98 million by the Social Health Authority (SHA) to St Mary’s Hospital, which had been forced to close its services due to a debt of Ksh117 million owed by SHA.
Speaking in Kakamega during the launch of the SHA activation program alongside Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, the governor confirmed that the money had been paid, leaving a balance of Ksh35 million.
He went on to thank SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi for clarifying the issues between the hospital and SHA, noting that some claims submitted by the hospital to the medical insurance scheme had been rejected due to insufficient information or missing documentation, such as discharge forms.
According to the governor, Mwangangi had advised the facility to resubmit the missing documents within the next two weeks for SHA to process the remaining Ksh35 million.
“SHA payment ya St Mary’s Mumias imelipwa million ksh98, bwana askofu mwenyewe amecorfim, ile pesa amabayo St Mary’s inadai sha ni ksh35, na hiyo yote ni kwa sababu ya Mercy Mwangangi, for clarifying ya kwamba kuna zile claims ambazo ziko approved, kuna zile ambazo ziko rejected kwa sababu hakuna claim form, hakuna discharge form na hakuna documents ambazo hakuna documentation na tumekubaliana all those claims with missing documentation zitakuwa resubmitted in two weeks,” Barasa said.
The governor also thanked Kakamega Bishop Joseph Obanyi for coming out to clarify the reasons behind the hospital’s closure, pointing out that many politicians had politicised the issue. He specifically accused DAP-K Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala of using the hospital’s shutdown to settle political scores.
His message to Duale
Additionally, Governor Barasa expressed gratitude to the Health CS for assuring that within the next 14 days, Ksh 14 million of the outstanding amount would be paid to the facility, together with the claims that had initially been rejected due to a lack of documentation.
He further assured Kakamega residents that their hospitals would soon resume full operations and return to the vibrant state they once enjoyed.
“nashukuru wqziri wetu wa afya for giving a commitment to addressing the pending bills for SHA. In the next 10 days, Saint Mary’s hospital will be receiving illion, and the CLA claims zilikuwq were rejected lwa sababu ya missing documentation. They have another 2 weeks to resubmit. I want to assure the public that St Mary’s will be open.”