Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has dismissed claims that Hustler Fund defaulters will be locked out of coverage under the government health insurance scheme, Social Health Authority (SHA).
Duale issued a clarification on his X account on Monday, effectively contradicting Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, who offered a different take hours earlier. "The information below is inaccurate.
All Kenyans have a right to access SHA services regardless of their engagement with the hustler fund," Duale clarified while referencing sentiments made by the spokesperson. Earlier on Monday, Mwaura appeared in an interview on Radio 47 where he claimed that the Ksh6 billion disbursed by the government through the Hustler Fund was a huge investment that needed to be recovered. Health CS Aden Duale during a meeting with the Development Partners in Health, Kenya (DPHK) on June 3, 2025.
Photo Ministry of Health Mwaura then courted controversy by suggesting that Hustler Fund defaulters would not access SHA services until their dues were paid. "First, if you took the Hustler Fund and failed to pay, there are strategies to ensure you do not get the SHA benefits; six billion shillings is a lot of money," Mwaura said. For those who repaid their loans diligently, Mwaura said they would easily be able to remit their SHA deductions through using the Hustler Fund loan facility. Earlier in June, the government rolled out a Lipa Pole Pole plan to enable Kenyans to use the Hustler Fund to pay their Social Health Authority (SHA) premiums. Speaking at the 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay, Ruto declared that Kenyans would now have the option to pay their yearly premiums in installments or through a flexible payment plan.
