The High Court has declined to suspend the roll-out of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) as of October 1, 2024. The petition to block SHIF, filed by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and others, raised concerns over the lack of proper subsidiary legislation and the transparency of a Ksh.104.8 billion technology contract awarded to a Safaricom-led consortium. While the court acknowledged the urgency of the petition, it did not halt the roll-out and scheduled a hearing for further directions.
SHIF has been controversial, with criticisms regarding its burden on salaried individuals and questions about whether the NHIF could have been improved instead of being replaced.