Kenyans to receive free healthcare from January 2024, under the UHC initiative

On 19th November 2023, President William Ruto promised free healthcare for all Kenyans beginning January 2024 under the government’s Universal Healthcare Coverage initiative.

After the rollout of the Universal Healthcare Coverage initiative and the president’s directive on the same, citizens are receiving healthcare provision, provided they are registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA). The framework is applicable on paper, but there are still issues with the rollout of the services on the ground. Financial inconsistencies and pressures within the hospitals in terms of what comes into the hospital from the government and the expenses incurred make it difficult to provide quality healthcare within the system.

ABOUT MZALENDO

Mzalendo is a Kenyan non-partisan Parliamentary monitoring organization whose mission is to “promote the realization of open, inclusive, and accountable Parliaments across Kenya and Africa”.

BUILT AND MAINTAINED
WITH SUPPORT FROM

Website built by Wit Design

Disclaimer
This Promise Tracker is an independent civic-accountability tool designed to monitor and document the progress of public commitments made by the Government of Kenya. Information presented on this platform is compiled from publicly available sources including government publications, parliamentary records, policy documents, and credible media reports. The classifications used in this tracker represent an evidence-based assessment by the platform’s researchers and should be understood as analytical judgments rather than official government determinations. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy and regular updates, the status of promises may evolve as new information becomes available. This website is not affiliated with or operated by the Government of Kenya.

Last updated: August 30, 2026 3:32 am