President William Ruto has praised residents of Bomet County for embracing the government’s healthcare reforms, saying 82 per cent of the county’s population has registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Speaking in Bomet County on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, Ruto said the registration rate makes Bomet the second-highest county in Kenya in SHA enrolment, describing the figures as a sign of growing support for his administration’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
“Hapa Bomet County, ni county namba mbili Kenya mzima kwa registration ya SHA, yaani 82 per cent ya watu wa Bomet tayari wamejiandikisha kwa SHA,” Ruto said.
The President also disclosed that the government has channelled Ksh3.2 billion to hospitals in Bomet over the past one-and-a-half years to cater for healthcare services provided to residents.
“Tumetuma pesa Ksh3.2 billion kulipia watu wa Bomet,” he added.
Ruto cites SHA enrolment as healthcare milestone
Ruto said the high SHA registration rate demonstrates that residents are responding positively to the government’s efforts to reform the country’s healthcare financing system.
He has repeatedly defended the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA, arguing that the new system is designed to expand access to healthcare and reduce the financial burden of medical treatment on households.
The President has made Universal Health Coverage a key pillar of his administration, maintaining that Kenyans should not be forced to sell property or borrow heavily to settle medical bills.
Ksh3.2 billion paid to Bomet hospitals
The Ksh3.2 billion payment, according to Ruto, represents funds sent to healthcare facilities in the county for services provided to residents.
He said the payments were part of efforts to ensure hospitals have the resources needed to continue providing healthcare services.
The figures come amid continued scrutiny of SHA, with the government under pressure to demonstrate that the new health financing system is improving access to healthcare and addressing challenges that affected the former NHIF system.
Ruto’s remarks in Bomet therefore placed the county’s high SHA enrolment and the billions paid to local hospitals at the centre of his administration’s case for its healthcare reforms.
