Private hospitals boss Lishenga quits, blames hostility over SHA crisis
The long-running standoff between private hospitals and the government over the implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA) has escalated after Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) Chairman Dr Brian Lishenga resigned, citing a hostile working relationship with the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority.
Lishenga stepped down this week after months of public disagreements over delayed reimbursement of claims, healthcare financing reforms and the rollout of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the insurance scheme administered under SHA.
His resignation underscores the widening tensions between the government and private healthcare providers, who have repeatedly accused SHA of failing to settle billions of shillings in outstanding claims, forcing some hospitals to suspend services for insured patients or demand cash payments.
Following his resignation, RUPHA’s Executive Committee appointed Mohamud Amin Ali as the association’s new chairman during a meeting held on July 1, 2026.
Ali takes over at a critical time as the lobby continues negotiations with the Ministry of Health and SHA over delayed payments, provider contracts and reforms to Kenya’s new health financing system.
The association also appointed Joseph Maina Kariuki as vice chairman, Daisy Achieng Adalla as treasurer and Pacifica Omambia as deputy treasurer.
Despite relinquishing the chairmanship, Dr Lishenga will remain within the association as an Ex-Officio member, providing advisory support to the Executive Committee. RUPHA also retained Cynthia Mukami Munene as its Chief Executive Officer.
In a memorandum circulated to members, partners and stakeholders, the Executive Committee said the positions of Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General remain under review and will be filled substantively at a later date.
“The positions of Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General remain under review and will be filled substantively in due course,” the committee said.
The leadership transition comes against the backdrop of mounting financial pressure on private healthcare providers, who have been among the strongest critics of SHA since its rollout in October 2024.
RUPHA has consistently argued that persistent delays in settling claims have strained hospital operations, disrupted service delivery and undermined confidence in the government’s universal healthcare reforms.
The association has also been at the forefront of negotiations with the Ministry of Health over the implementation of SHIF, reimbursement timelines and the sustainability of the new healthcare financing model.
Lishenga’s resignation signals the depth of the fallout between private hospitals and the government, with relations deteriorating amid unresolved disputes over payments and policy implementation.
