A political row between Aden Duale and Rigathi Gachagua has refused to die down, largely because every new claim is being met with an almost immediate—and often sharp—response.
It started with Gachagua’s allegation that Duale is a shareholder in a company linked to the Social Health Authority (SHA). The claim quickly stirred debate around possible conflicts of interest in one of the government’s biggest and most sensitive reforms.
But instead of letting it sit, Duale jumped in—fast.
Duale has since mounted a relentless response, using his social media platforms to dismiss the claims and directly confront the former deputy president. In multiple posts, the Health CS has challenged Gachagua to produce evidence, including official company records, to back his allegations.
“Produce the CR12,” Duale wrote repeatedly, referring to official registration documents that would show who actually owns the company in question.
What has stood out is the speed. In some cases, Duale has responded within hours. At times, he has issued several posts in a single day, each one pushing back on Gachagua’s claims or demanding proof. It has turned what could have been a short-lived political exchange into an ongoing public back-and-forth.
The effect is that the story never really goes quiet. Just as it begins to fade, another post appears, and the argument is back in the public eye.
In his posts—some shared alongside videos—Duale has dismissed the allegations as political talk with no evidence behind them. He has insisted that the claims are meant to distract from the government’s ongoing health reforms.
“What we are witnessing around SHA is not genuine concern,” he said in one of the posts. “It is political noise from individuals who previously benefited from fraudulent schemes.”
The SHA itself has already been under pressure long before this political fight. Since its rollout, the system has faced criticism from hospitals, patients, and health workers. Some facilities have complained about delayed payments, while patients say they are sometimes turned away despite being registered. Others argue the transition from NHIF was rushed and poorly managed.
Gachagua has leaned into those frustrations, warning that SHA could collapse under pressure and accusing unnamed powerful individuals of trying to benefit from the system. His remarks have added fuel to an already heated debate about how the new health scheme is being run.
Duale, however, has pushed back strongly. He insists there is no evidence linking him to any SHA-related shareholding and says the allegations are politically motivated. He has also challenged Gachagua to stop making claims without proof and instead present documents to support them.
He has gone further, defending SHA’s performance with figures showing billions of shillings in claims processed and paid, while others are still under review or returned to facilities for correction.
But even with the numbers, the political fight has not slowed down. Instead, it has taken on a life of its own—fast posts, quick rebuttals, and no clear end in sight.
