NAIROBI ,Kenya, Aug 29 – Only about five million Kenyans registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA) are actively making contributions to the scheme, despite more than 32 million people having enrolled.
The disparity has prompted the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health to call for urgent measures to convert the large pool of registered members into active contributors and ensure the sustainability of the Government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) reforms.
SHA chief executive officer Mercy Mwangangi told the committee that 32,180,494 Kenyans had registered with the Authority as of July 31, 2026, equivalent to 67.7 per cent of the national population.
However, only about five million registered members are currently active contributors.
This means roughly 27.18 million registered Kenyans are not currently making contributions, with active contributors accounting for only about 15.5 per cent of all registered members.
The figures emerged during a joint retreat involving the Health Committee, SHA and the Digital Health Agency (DHA) to assess progress in the implementation of UHC, examine emerging challenges and identify measures to strengthen the country’s health-sector reforms.
Committee chairperson James Nyikal (Seme) said the Government should now concentrate on ensuring that registration translates into sustained participation in the health insurance scheme.
“Registration is not enough. We should put more energy into ensuring that more people are paying for health insurance,” Nyikal said.
The committee welcomed the registration milestone, saying the enrolment of more than 32 million Kenyans represented significant progress in expanding the potential reach of affordable healthcare.
But MPs warned that the registration figures could mask a major challenge if millions of members remain inactive.
The committee said SHA must develop stronger mechanisms to encourage registered households to make regular contributions and maintain active coverage.
Endebess MP Robert Pukose urged SHA to work more closely with MPs, county governments and grassroots leaders to sensitise Kenyans about the importance of contributing after registration.
“This matter should concern all of us. SHA should consider partnering with leaders to create awareness on the importance of paying for SHA after enrolment. You should also work closely with county governments,” Pukose said.
Moyale MP Guyo Jaldesa, Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oroni, Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino and Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli also called for enhanced public engagement and innovative measures to improve contribution rates.
The MPs particularly highlighted the challenges faced by Kenyans in the informal sector, many of whom depend on irregular or seasonal incomes and may struggle to maintain fixed contribution schedules.
Mwangangi said SHA was developing more flexible contribution arrangements to accommodate households whose incomes fluctuate.
She also said the Authority was following up with registered members whose coverage had become inactive as it seeks to improve retention and ensure continuity of access to healthcare services.
The committee said contribution mechanisms should take into account the different economic realities of Kenyan households rather than rely on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Members also called for intensified registration campaigns in counties with comparatively low enrolment.
SHA identified Turkana, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit, Mandera, Tana River, Isiolo, Narok, West Pokot and Trans Nzoia among counties recording the lowest registration levels.
The committee said increasing enrolment in these areas must be accompanied by strategies to ensure that newly registered members become and remain active contributors.
The development puts the focus on the next stage of the Government’s health financing reforms: moving beyond enrolment numbers to ensuring that registered Kenyans consistently contribute to the scheme.
With more than 32 million people registered but only about five million actively contributing, the committee said the success of SHA would increasingly be measured not just by the number of registration certificates issued, but by the number of Kenyans who maintain active coverage and can access healthcare when needed.
