NAIROBI Kenya, Mar 6 – President William Ruto’s senior economic advisor, Moses Kuria, has assured that the Social Health Authority (SHA) data is solely owned by the Digital Health Authority and is not stored abroad, contrary to some claims.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Kuria addressed concerns regarding the ownership and security of SHA data, stating that the Digital Health Authority operates three data centres—all located within Kenya.
“The Digital Health Authority is the sole owner of the data. They have three data centres—the main data centre and redundancy data centres—all of them within the Republic of Kenya. The data is domiciled here,” he said.
Kuria also downplayed the weight of the Auditor General’s report on SHA’s procurement, arguing that an audit report is only conclusive after parliamentary review.
“For now, the Auditor General’s report is just a report unless thoroughly reviewed by legislators to affirm the claims,” he stated.
His remarks come after Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flagged irregularities in the procurement of SHA’s technology system, urging Parliament to take decisive action.
Appearing before the Senate Public Accounts Committee, Gathungu said she had fulfilled her constitutional duty by exposing flaws in the tender process.
“I have concluded that there was no effectiveness or lawfulness in the use of public resources on these matters. There is the aspect of governance and risk management, and I have been very clear that there were issues,” she said.
Her 2023-2024 audit report revealed significant legal violations in the Ksh104 billion procurement of SHA’s technology system, including unbudgeted and non-competitive procurement, an undefined scope of work, and a lack of payment agreements.
The report also flagged unfavourable contract clauses, including one that prevents the government from accessing or controlling the system—raising concerns that critical Kenyan data may be in the hands of private entities.
Additionally, the contract mandates that any disputes be settled under the London Court of International Arbitration, effectively excluding Kenya’s legal framework from oversight.
The audit further found that the State Department of Medical Services acquired the system outside the approved procurement plan and medium-term budgetary framework. The system was procured through direct sourcing, violating the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, which requires a fair, transparent, and competitive process.