President Ruto urges Kenyans to register for SHIF

President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to register for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

The President said the government is keen on ensuring that no one is left behind as the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) gets underway.

In the programme, he said, low-income earners will contribute as low as Ksh.300 a month, while the government will pay for those who are unable.

He said SHIF will adopt advanced technology to curb wastage and corruption.

“We are sealing the loopholes to ensure that public funds under the programme are used to provide quality healthcare to Kenyans,” he said.

The Head of State said the new strategy will ensure that no Kenyan is driven into poverty because of high medical bills.

“We now have a law that establishes the Critical Illness Fund, which will be used to meet the cost of illnesses such as Cancer. No Kenyan will have to sell his property to pay medical bills,” he said.

He made the remarks on Thursday during the opening of the Belgut Technical Training Institute and Belgut TTI Digital Hub in Kericho County. The President is on a development tour of the South Rift.

At the same time, the President said the government will take stringent measures against those selling illicit alcohol and drugs to Kenyans.

In addition, President Ruto said the government will take serious action against those who ruin the lives of Kenyans.

“Any enterprise that produces and sells poisonous alcohol will be shut down,” he said.

President Ruto said the government is dedicated to reducing debt through prudent fiscal management of the economy, adding that local taxes will be used to drive Kenya's development agenda.

“We must be careful as a nation not to contract debt that has the possibility of putting our country in debt distress,” he said.

The President said robust measures have been put in place to curb unemployment in the country, and cited the affordable housing programme, digital hubs and export of labour as examples that have expanded job opportunities for many Kenyans.

In the digital economy, President Ruto said the government plans to connect millions of homes, trading centres, bus parks and fresh produce markets to the Internet.

President Ruto announced that 5,000 houses will be built under the affordable programme in Kericho County. These projects are expected to create more than 10,000 jobs.

The Kericho Airstrip will be expanded and upgraded to an airport, he announced, to ease transport in the region.

President Ruto also opened the Kericho Passport Centre.

“Passport services, which previously could only be accessed all the way in Kisumu or Nairobi, will now be available here in Kericho,” he said.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua expressed confidence in President Ruto's stewardship of the country towards economic growth.

Kericho Governor Eric Mutai, Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen, Florence Bore, Eliud Owalo, Alice Wahome and Ezekiel Machogu, MPs and MCAs were present.