Ruto: Anyone opposing Social Health Insurance Fund 2.75% tax is hell bound
While in Lolgorian on March 18, 2024, to attend the the burial of the late Kokoo Annah Tikui Noolparakuo, the mother of former Narok Governor Samuel Ole Tunai, President William Ruto touched on the contentious 2.75% tax levied for the newly introduced Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) that replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund in Kenya.
He warned anyone opposing the SHIF was hell bound if they refused to contribute to the insurance scheme to cater for the poor in society to get treatment for chronic and terminal illnesses without having to sell their properties to pay for hospital bills.
“We want to stand before God, all of us that said we should remove 2.75% of our salaries and channel it into medical treatment. This is because we also want that person who has no means to pay for health insurance in accordance with the new law we have passed. We said, citizens who have no means to pay for health insurance, the government of Kenya through taxation will pay for them. We agreed that the poor who now pay Sh 500 a month, we will lower it to Sh 300.
We said those with chronic and terminal health issues like cancer, hypertension and diabetes that force people to sell their property in order to pay for treatment- we said as government, through the new law, no Kenyan will sell their property again to pay for hospital bills. We will have a proper savings to cater for such illnesses. So for you who has the opportunity to be employed, you who has the capacity- do not be selfish and ask why it should involve you to raise funds to pay for a person who has no financial capability.
There is a part that involves you because you will one day stand before God and you will be told you had the capability of contributing 2.75% but you refused. And that person who was ill did not get any treatment- then you will go to hell. I have given you an early warning. You should now plan for yourselves from there,” said President Ruto.
Kenyans are expected to begin contributing 2.75% of their salaries in July 2024.
All Kenyans will be required to apply to the Social Health Authority for registration as a SHIF member by June 30, 2024, including those previously registered with NHIF.
The SHIF levy continues to be opposed despite the Court of Appeal lifting a ban on its implementation. Among them are doctors who said the proposed fund will not offer them the comprehensive services they need as opposed to their previous medical insurance covers. They also said this health cover will make healthcare services out of reach for majority of Kenyans who will not afford services.
Previously, SHIF had been challenged in court for allegedly challenging constitutional issues such as right to privacy by storing minors’ data without their consent.
In a prior public appearance, President Ruto was quoted saying SHIF is a must for everyone regardless of how many opposed the mandatory health cover and the levy attached to it.s
SHIF is but one of the new taxes forced on Kenyans by President William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza government. Since taking office, despite widespread opposition, they went ahead and enforced as well as increased existing taxes, making the cost of living too heavy to bear for the ordinary Kenyan.
Among these taxes are the Housing Levy, increase on PAYE for those earning above Sh 500,000- meaning the government is taking more money from salaried workers than the law allows, increase in VAT on petroleum products and the ripple effects being increased cost of food, electricity, public transportation, various household bills including school and health bills.
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