Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni clears the air over growing concerns that Hustler Fund defaulters could be denied access to the Social Health Authority (SHA) services.
Addressing the issue on Thursday, PS Mang’eni assured Kenyans that defaulting on a Hustler Fund loan does not automatically disqualify anyone from benefiting from SHA’s Lipa Pole Pole programme, which allows for flexible health insurance payments.
“It is not true that if you have defaulted on Hustler Fund, you cannot access SHA,” she said.
Her remarks come amid rising confusion among Kenyans especially those in the informal sector who rely on both the Hustler Fund and the SHA for financial and medical support.
Mang’eni emphasized that borrowers showing effort to repay even partially will still be allowed to pay their premiums gradually.
“If you pay for four months, then you get cover for the whole year. The balance can be paid pole pole,” she said.
She added that the government’s goal is to support Kenyans, not punish them, but warned that continued defaults may affect access to some benefits.
“If your loan has gone unpaid for more than 45 days, then you are officially in default. That doesn’t mean you’re cut off from SHA, but you may not qualify for the Lipa Pole Pole option,” Mang’eni clarified.
The SHA Pole Pole programme was launched to make health insurance more accessible, especially for those in the informal sector.
It allows Kenyans to finance their premiums through affordable loans from the Hustler Fund.
So far, over Ksh71 billion has been disbursed through the Fund, reaching more than 26 million Kenyans.