Murang'a: Murang'a Governor Dr. Irungu Kang'ata has urged the national government to fast-track the streamlining of the e-procurement system to ensure the smooth operation of the Kang'ata Care Health Insurance Programme. Speaking at the county headquarters during the issuance of last expense cheques to affected families under the programme, the governor emphasised that improving procurement efficiency would enable timely renewal of the insurance contract and uninterrupted delivery of benefits to residents.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Kang'ata Care scheme is a flagship initiative by the Murang'a County Government, providing fully paid health insurance coverage to more than 40,000 vulnerable households across the county, as well as last expense cover for the principal member. The programme seeks to guarantee access to quality and affordable healthcare for all, especially the disadvantaged.
During the event, the county government disbursed 62 last expense cheques worth Sh 100,000 each to the families of deceased principal members, school fees cheques of Sh 25,000 each for secondary school students who lost their parents, and marriage and childbirth support cheques of Sh10,000 each to newly married members and parents of newborns respectively.
Dr. Kang'ata disclosed that the county government is closely following up with the Social Health Authority (SHA) and Britam Insurance Company, which owe compensation for 163 and 109 beneficiaries respectively. He noted that delays caused by the current e-procurement procedures have hindered the timely renewal of insurance policies, including the Last Expense cover, which is due for renewal at the end of this month.
'We are urging the national government to streamline the e-procurement process so that the Kang'ata Care programme can run without interruptions. This will help us renew our insurance contracts on time and ensure beneficiaries continue to receive the services they deserve,' said Dr. Kang'ata.
He further cautioned residents against falling victim to fraudsters purporting to recruit members into the programme, clarifying that official registration is conducted only once annually and is entirely free of charge. 'We have noted with concern that some people are being conned in the name of Kang'ata Care. Let me make it clear that we don't do recruitment in the middle of the year, and no one should pay to join. Those impersonating county officials to defraud people will face the law,' the governor warned.
On his part, Murang'a County Assembly Majority Leader Kibe Wasary commended the county administration for initiating Kang'ata Care, terming it a transformative programme that has significantly benefited vulnerable families. 'As an assembly, we have played our part by passing the necessary legislation and allocating adequate funds to ensure the programme runs smoothly. We now call upon the national government to address the bottlenecks in the e-procurement system to prevent unnecessary delays,' said Wasary.
The Majority Leader reaffirmed the assembly's continued support for initiatives aimed at uplifting the welfare of Murang'a residents, noting that the Kang'ata Care Programme remains a model of social protection that other counties can emulate.