SHA recruitment wrangles leaves fate of former NHIF staff in limbo

SHA has an establishment of 815 staff members, compared to 1,732 who were previously employed at the defunct NHIF. [File, Standard]

Wrangling continues to delay recruitment of senior employees at the new health scheme, with at least 200 former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) staff seconded to the Public Service Commission (PSC) still awaiting deployment.

Positions being filled at the Social Health Authority (SHA) include managers, principals and other senior-level roles. Interviews are also underway for departmental officers to oversee operations at the authority that replaced NHIF.

“The recruitment process is ongoing to fill various positions. Most of these roles were initially occupied by individuals seconded to the PSC,” said an insider.

Interviews began on January 30 and were expected to conclude today. “By the end of this week, we expect a list of individuals to fill the respective management positions at SHA,” added the insider.

At least 425 candidates will be shortlisted for senior positions, from 17,434 applicants who expressed interest. Interviews for shortlisted junior employees are also expected to begin this week and continue through March, ahead of final selection on April 23, 2026.

Top management, directors and branch manager positions have already been filled, with deployment completed.

SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi has called on members of the public to submit any adverse information about shortlisted candidates. However, the recruitment process has faced criticism, with allegations that some communities are being favoured. “We are not saying those selected are unqualified, but we question why certain communities appear to be favoured. There is no clear regional balance, an issue we hope is being considered in the ongoing recruitment,” said an insider.

SHA has an establishment of 815 staff members, compared to 1,732 who were previously employed at the defunct NHIF.

Meanwhile, at least 100 staff members deployed to the public service have not received salaries for November, December and January. The staff, including regional, line and branch managers, were removed from the payroll in November through a letter dated November 7, 2025.

The letter required staff to choose between early retirement or transfer to PSC. However, SHA has not provided a clear formula for calculating the exit packages previously offered by the lower court.

“Not everyone wants to transition to the public service. Some employees are aged 56 and are uncertain about their future after leaving employment,” said one employee.

Some former NHIF staff seconded to PSC have been waiting for deployment for six months but have continued receiving salaries. The employees were initially transferred to SHA following the repeal of NHIF, but were later handed to the public service as the authority embarked on fresh recruitment.

There are fears that some staff may stop receiving salaries from April, as extension letters placed them at SHA for only six months, which are now expiring.

“Although we are still earning salaries, we do not know what will happen after the extension expires. We are waiting for deployment, but we remain idle at home without assigned duties,” said one employee.

Former NHIF employees have also praised the courts for protecting their salaries during the transition process. However, they have raised concerns that some recruits are being placed in lower job groups. For example, branch managers expected to be absorbed at Job Group Q are being placed at Job Group N, two levels lower, affecting promotions, earnings and allowances.

Recruitment disputes have created anxiety among employees, with many now seeking to receive their terminal benefits, though SHA has remained silent on the matter.

Deployment to the public service began in July last year, with the last batch transferred in November. NHIF was formally repealed on November 24, 2024, paving the way for SHA under the Social Health Insurance Act 2023.

The recruitment process has attracted several court cases at the Employment and Labour Relations Court, which ordered fresh advertisement of positions, effectively halting internal recruitment.

Efforts by The Standard to reach SHA CEO Dr Mwangangi, Health CS Aden Duale and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei were unsuccessful.