Willis Otieno questions SHA’s endgame, demands answers on Ksh7K upfront payment
By Cynthia Lodite, February 20, 2026Renowned city lawyer Willis Otieno has questioned the Social Health Authority’s (SHA) quest to deliver universal healthcare, demanding clarity on the upfront fee required by citizens to access basic health services.
Taking to his official X account on Friday, February 20, 2026, Willis slammed SHA for trying to create a mandatory pay-to-live scheme where the poor are punished for being poor.
“What exactly is the endgame of SHA? Is it to deliver universal healthcare, or to create a mandatory pay-to-live scheme where the poor are punished for being poor?” Willis said.
On his part, the lawyer has demanded answers on the Ksh7000 upfront fee, questioning why the registration to the Authority is mandatory, whereas the services are conditional and inconsistent.
“Why must citizens pay KSh 7,000 upfront to access basic services in a country where unemployment is at crisis levels? Why is registration mandatory, yet services are conditional and inconsistent?” Willis stated.
He went on calling out the government’s move, asking Kenyans to take loans from the Hustler Fund to be able to afford the annual healthcare contributions.
“Now, you’re telling people to take loans from the Hustler Fund just to afford healthcare contributions? What kind of system forces citizens into debt just to stay alive, then parades that as progress?” he added.
Annual SHA contribution
In 2025, the government announced the decision to introduce annual contributions to the Social Health Authority, which was aimed at ensuring continuous healthcare access for all Kenyans.
Public Health PS Mary Muthoni said the shift from monthly to annual payments is intended to secure uninterrupted coverage, particularly for non-salaried individuals who may experience income disruptions.
“Paying annually in advance guarantees that beneficiaries continue receiving services, even if they face temporary financial hardship due to illness or loss of income,” she said.
Muthoni was speaking during a public participation forum at Murang’a University of Technology.
At the time, she stated that to ease the burden of the lump-sum annual payment, which is set at 2.75 per cent of the household income, Kenyans can borrow from the Hustler Fund at zero interest.
“Let’s say your annual contribution is Ksh7,200 and you can’t afford to pay it all at once. The government has made it possible to borrow the amount interest-free and repay it gradually, whether daily, weekly, or monthly,” Muthoni said.