Why should I resign? Duale pushes back against critics amid SHA scandal
By Mustafa Juma, January 28, 2026Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has dismissed calls for his resignation over the unfolding Social Health Authority (SHA) controversy.
Speaking on the night of Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during an interview with one of the local TV stations, Duale insisted that he would only step aside if due process determined he had violated his oath of office.
Duale said resignation is not an option simply because of allegations, arguing that Kenya’s Constitution provides clear mechanisms for holding public officers accountable.
Duale on getting out of office
He went ahead to note that he has not seen any reason that warrants his resignation, noting that the only ways to deal with him should he commit any crime within his docket are either by impeaching him by Parliament, being dealt with by the criminal justice system, or the president firing him.
“Why should I resign? You know there are reasons why one should resign, and in fact, I don’t need to resign. If I commit anything contrary to my oath of office, there are various ways of dealing with me: impeaching me by Parliament, the criminal justice system dealing with me if I have integrity issues, and I am a political appointee, the president can one morning say I need another minister for health,” Duale said.
Duale’s remarks come hours after it emerged that Ksh11 billion had been lost in the Social Health Authority (SHA) system.
Duale’s response
However, Duale has argued that the lost funds resulted from widespread fraudulent claims by hospitals, with the AI-driven platform flagging manipulated medical records and inflated billing.
Speaking on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during the 2026 Legislative Retreat for Members of the National Assembly in Nakuru, Duale said the bulk of the rejected claims involved impossible medical scenarios, including private hospitals reporting 100 per cent C-section deliveries, well above World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.
He stressed that digitisation is a powerful tool against corruption.
“The era of manual claims allowed theft to thrive. That is why the Ksh11 billion lost between October, when SHA was launched, and April, when I took over, was rejected. Facilities were stealing because they were used to stealing from NHIF,” he said.
He noted that the audit found that some facilities reported impossible scenarios, including hospitals claiming that 100 per cent of mothers who delivered underwent C-sections, far above the WHO-recommended 10 to 15 per cent.