Kakamega Catholic Bishop Joseph Obanyi has dismissed claims by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi that a hospital run by the church in Mumias had received Ksh82 million from the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying the facility has only accessed a fraction of that amount.

Speaking to a local media station on Friday, August 29, 2025, the bishop explained that since June, the hospital has only received about Ksh9 million, funds that were strictly designated for the renal unit.

“Since June of this year up to now, we may have received about nine million, which is actually designated for the renal unit,” Obanyi stated.

He clarified that no money had been directly disbursed to cover patients’ claims.

“Now the hospital itself has not received any money that it can call money that has come as claims from SHA, which will easily go to the patients,” the bishop explained.

Playing politics

The Bishop accused Mudavadi of playing politics with the plight of poor patients who rely on the mission hospital, insisting that the government had yet to address the financial crisis.

“So, talking about 82 million that has been disbursed and then the hospital is still closed is cheap pure politics. We need the money, and then we will arrive. This is not the government hospital; it’s a mission hospital that serves the poor people, so we cannot make politics out of the poor people,” the bishop stated.

Obanyi appealed to the public to trust the church’s financial transparency over political statements.

“If anybody has to believe anybody, at least believe the church. We have no other ways where we spend the money except in those hospitals,” he asserted.

He defended the hospital’s decision to suspend operations, citing the inability to pay staff as a primary concern for continued service delivery.

“You can’t blame me for suspending if I can’t pay you. Now, how do I keep you in the job even for the next month?” he asked.

Mudavadi’s assertion

These remarks come in response to Mudavadi’s assertion, where he expressed concern over what he described as questionable financial claims filed by the Mumias hospital under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Speaking during a public engagement in Malava on Thursday, August 28, 2025, Mudavadi challenged the institution to clarify how it managed funds allocated through the SHA.

“That hospital was paid Ksh82 million out of the Ksh117 million allocated. If they want to dispute this, we are prepared to provide evidence of how much they received in November and December last year. I have all the information readily available, even on my phone. If there has been mismanagement at that hospital, they shouldn’t bring it to the entire nation,” Mudavadi stated.