The government has renewed its push for universal health coverage with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki announcing that over 26 million Kenyans have already registered for the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover.
Speaking in Irunduni, Tharaka Nithi County, where he met more than 1,500 grassroots women leaders from Laikipia, Kindiki said the number of enrollees is expected to rise to 30 million by December and eventually cover the entire population of 55 million Kenyans by 2027.
He described the milestone as one of the most ambitious social reforms in Kenya’s history and assured citizens that the technical hitches experienced during the rollout were being resolved to make the system more efficient.
“As we continue to expand opportunities through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, we are determined to empower families and communities for the benefit of future generations,” Kindiki said, stressing that universal health coverage would be a turning point in securing dignity and opportunity for all Kenyans.
The Deputy President noted that at least 1.5 million vulnerable Kenyans will access health services without making any contributions after assessments confirmed their inability to pay. He urged the women leaders to mobilize more residents to register, revealing that Laikipia had so far recorded 242,000 enrollees against a target of 591,000.
Kindiki also used the gathering to highlight ongoing development initiatives in Laikipia, pointing to new markets, affordable housing projects, and expanded electricity connections as part of government efforts to uplift communities.
He praised the restoration of peace in the county, recalling how years of banditry and cattle rustling had been curtailed through the deployment of specialized police units and the recruitment of additional reservists, a move he said had allowed residents to live and work without fear.
He described women as central to Kenya’s economic transformation, balancing family care with agricultural productivity and small-scale enterprise.
Government measures such as subsidized fertilizer, certified seeds, and support for rural businesses, he said, are designed to ease the burden on women and strengthen grassroots economies.