The roll-out of Universal Health Coverage at the beginning of the month will ensure that the government provides medical care to all Kenyans, President William Ruto has said.
The President said the government has already registered 12.8 million people under the new Social Health Authority (SHA).
“For the first time, every Kenyan will have health insurance,” he said.
He made the remarks during the 30th anniversary celebration of the African Inland Church (AIC) Milimani in Nairobi on Sunday.
The President said the celebration was a testament of how far the church has come, recalling the very humble beginnings when Sunday services used to be held in a tent.
“We have seen God’s blessings. From a church in a tent, we now have this magnificent building. At the beginning, there were only 10 families, but now it has 3,000 members. We thank God,” he said.
President Ruto said the government will continue to work with religious institutions in implementing programmes that uplift people, citing healthcare and education.
“I want to thank faith-based institutions that run hospitals in Kenya for stepping forward and partnering with us,” he said.
On the government’s Affordable Housing Programme, the President pointed out that it is progressing well and said he was confident it would transform the country.
He noted that key projects under the programme in Nairobi’s Mukuru kwa Njenga and Kibra will eradicate slums and ensure that Kenyans live in decent homes.
“That is my mission: To ensure that we create a nation of equals,” he said.
The President said the ClimateWorX Programme to clean the Nairobi River Basin, which began at the beginning of this month, will ensure the regeneration of the river.
He explained that Nairobi, the environmental headquarters of the world as the host of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), should not have a river that is filthy and grossly polluted.
“We cannot have the headquarters of UNEP in Nairobi and have a dirty river,” he said.
Additionally, President Ruto committed to work with the leadership of Nairobi to address the plight of 10,000 pupils who are not in school in the county.
“We are building an extra 5,000 classrooms in Nairobi to ensure that all our children, especially those living in informal settlements, go to school,” he said.
The President said Kenyans should be proud of Kenya, noting that it is recognised worldwide for its contribution to global initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of humanity.
He said the United Nations had identified Kenya as the lead nation in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
“Just two days ago, the Prime Minister of Haiti was here, expressing gratitude for what our policemen are doing thousands of kilometres from Kenya,” he said.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting freedom of worship in the country.
“As I said last week, God’s work in Kenya will proceed unhindered,” he said. “We are unapologetic about our faith.”
