Kenyans have been left in shock after Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed that the government neither owns nor controls the SHA system. According to Gathungu, the system is managed by private individuals who take 2.5% of every contribution made by Kenyans.
This revelation has raised serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and the security of citizens’ data.The idea that a crucial public system is not fully under government control is alarming.
It means that instead of all funds being directly accounted for by the state, a portion of what Kenyans contribute is ending up in private hands. The 2.5% cut raises questions about who these individuals are, how they were contracted, and why the government has not taken full ownership of the system.
This situation is similar to the concerns raised about the e-Citizen platform, which also handles massive amounts of public funds. In previous reports, it was revealed that the government does not have full control over e-Citizen, and instead, private vendors play a key role in its management.
This has led to inefficiencies, delays, and even suspicions of revenue leakage. With such critical systems handling public funds and personal data, the risks of fraud and manipulation become even higher.
The SHA system, just like e-Citizen, is meant to serve the public. However, without direct government oversight, Kenyans are left wondering whether their contributions are being used as intended. If individuals are making money off the system, it means taxpayers could be losing millions without any clear accountability.
Such a setup could lead to misuse of funds, with little oversight on how the system operates.Another major concern is the security of the data being handled by these platforms. Without clear government control, there is no guarantee that sensitive personal information is being protected.
The fact that private individuals are managing the SHA system suggests that there could be loopholes that expose Kenyans to data breaches and cyber threats.
Following Gathungu’s revelations, there have been growing calls for the government to take full ownership of the SHA system and similar platforms. Many argue that critical services should not be left in the hands of private entities, especially when money and sensitive data are involved.
A proper audit should be conducted to determine how these systems were structured and to ensure that they operate transparently and efficiently. As digital platforms become more central to government services, it is crucial that they are managed with integrity.
The SHA system should serve the people, not private individuals profiting from every contribution Kenyans make. The government must act fast to address this issue before more public funds are lost.
