Staff at the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) were dealt a big blow after the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the Social Health Authority (SHA) to cancel its exclusive recruitment of staff at the defunct body.
The decision, ordered by Justice Byram Ongaya, declared the process unconstitutional and discriminatory, and came after a petition filed by an individual. "The order of prohibition hereby issued restraining the 1st respondent (SHA) from proceeding with the current recruitment process published on its website in March 2025, which purported to restrict recruitment and eligibility to former staff of the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund," Ongaya ordered. "The declaration that the continuing or conducted recruitment process by the 1st respondent which limits or limited eligibility for positions of Quality Assurance Officers, County Coordinators, Directors, Deputy Directors and other advertised roles or vacancies herein exclusively to former NHIF staff was discriminatory, unconstitutional and violated the principles of fair competition and equality of opportunity under Article 232 of the Constitution," he added.
The Social Health Authority(SHA) building, October 1, 2024.
Photo Social Health Authority Additionally, the judge ordered SHA to advertise all vacancies in the Authority through an open, fair, competitive, and transparent process in accordance with the law, devoid of restrictions and limitations.
