'SHA is working': President Ruto says over 23 million Kenyans now registered

Data from the Social Health Authority (SHA) shows that Kenyans have embraced the new universal healthcare scheme, President William Ruto has said.

The President said 23.3 million Kenyans have already registered with SHA, with 93,251 registering on Monday, June 9, 2025.

The figures also show that 10,884 means-tested members paid their monthly premiums, contributing Ksh.48.9 million, while 2,946 Kenyans enrolled in the Lipa SHA Pole Pole programme on the same day.

The President said the numbers can be attributed to the success stories citizens are telling about SHA.

“Kenyans have started to see that SHA is paying bills for people around them,” he said.

He made the remarks when he hosted more than 600 African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) leaders at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday.

President Ruto said SHA is now touching the lives of many Kenyans and assured Kenyans that the provision of healthcare will only get better.

“In the next one year, fundraisers for medical bills will reduce. People will no longer sell property to pay medical bills,” he said.

At the same time, the President said the bold and necessary decisions taken by the government in the past two years to stabilise the economy are now paying off.

He said the country's economy is now on sound footing and on the path to economic takeoff.

He cited recent International Monetary Fund statistics showing that Kenya has risen from the 8th to the 6th largest economy in Africa.

“This would not have been possible without bold leadership,” he said.

President Ruto noted that the country's inflation has reduced from 9.6% in 2022 to 3.8% in 2025.

On agriculture, the President said he removed the subsidy on maize and instead invested in subsidising production.

As a result, food production has increased, imports have reduced, and the cost of food and living have gone down.

“The unga that was selling at Ksh.250 in 2022 is now retailing at between Ksh.110 and Ksh.140. This is why people are no longer in the streets with cooking pots on their heads,” the President pointed out.

He explained that reforms in agriculture have also been extended to other sectors in agriculture, including sugar, tea, and coffee, where productivity has increased as well as farmers’ earnings.

He explained that Mumias Sugar Company, which was placed under new management last year, has streamlined operations and is now paying farmers and workers, including a bonus.

“Mumias Sugar Company is now paying farmers every seven days and workers every month. "In January 2025, the company paid farmers the first ever bonus in the sugar sector,” he said.

He said the government is now turning its focus to cotton, rice, and other products to ensure agriculture feeds the nation, creates wealth, and earns foreign exchange.

Meanwhile, the President explained that the government is nurturing a national savings culture, pointing out that Kenyans are now saving 6 per cent of employee incomes, up from KSh200.

He said between the time of independence and 2023, Kenyans had saved KSh320 billion. But since 2023, the country has saved KSh280 billion.

“In two years, we will have doubled the money we collected in 60 years,” he said.

President Ruto also explained that Uganda and Tanzania have much more savings than Kenya because employees and employers contribute 10 and 5 per cent to social security respectively.

He said his administration is implementing key national development priorities that previous governments failed to deliver, citing affordable housing and universal healthcare.

On housing, he pointed out that it is creating jobs and delivering decent homes for low-income earners. So far, 250,000 jobs have been created in the housing value chain.

“Everyone knows the right thing to do but when it comes to implementation, people fear criticism. I promised Kenyans that I will implement this project. I don’t want to be a liar, so I will implement it,” he said.

The President said the government is constructing the Talanta Stadium, noting that a new stadium has been in the plans for more than 40 years.

On job creation, President Ruto said the government is investing in the creative economy, Jitume centres, ICT hubs, and labour migration to expand job opportunities for young people.

Due to increased numbers of Kenyans going abroad to work, diaspora remittances have increased from $4 billion (Ksh.516 billion) to $4.9 billion (Ksh.632 billion).

The President reiterated his commitment to uniting all Kenyans, saying unity remains his top priority. He urged Kenyans not to fall for propaganda aimed at tarnishing the country’s image.