DP Rigathi Gachagua Applauds His Boss For Appointing Fomer CS Michael Kamau To Lead The NHIF Board

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua expressed his gratitude to President William Ruto for selecting Michael Kamau, a former cabinet secretary for transportation, to lead the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) board.

DP Gachagua described Eng. Kamau as "a renowned public servant" on Friday and claimed that despite his hard work, the ex-CS had been "persecuted and brought through hell" by the State.

“Thank you, my Boss, H.E. President @WilliamsRuto, for restoring the dignity of Eng. Michael Kamau. A distinguished Public Servant who put in years of committed service to our great Nation of Kenya, he was persecuted and taken through hell by the very Goverment he had served,” the DP said in a tweet. 

Furthermore, he claimed that given the numerous commitments Ruto had made in that area, the former CS would be essential to the health insurance coverage.

He specifically noted that Kamau will be useful in carrying out the mission to provide universal health coverage for all Kenyans.

President Ruto stated in a gazette notice on Friday that Kamau's new position is effective immediately and that he will hold it for three years.

Lewis Nguyai, who had been in the role since February 2021 after being chosen by the late President Uhuru Kenyatta, was replaced by Kamau.

The former CS was charged in June 2015 with two counts of abuse of authority and failing to follow appropriate processes and rules relating to the administration of public monies after being suspended from Kenyatta's Cabinet on March 28, 2015.

He was cited in the “List of Shame” by the then Director of Prosecution, Keriako Tobiko, among the ministers who engaged in corruption.

He was also charged with turning a blind eye to a loss of public monies caused by the ministry engineers and construction firm Kundan Singh disobeying a consultant's plan while building the Kamukunywa Kaaptama-Kapsokwony Sirisia road in Bungoma County.

Since then, Kamau has fought tenaciously against the prosecution, arguing that it is a witch hunt motivated only by sheer hate.