By Zainab Saidi | 5484 Media | Nairobi, Kenya
President William Ruto has sought to calm concerns over the safety and sovereignty of Kenya’s health data, following intense public debate on the recently signed Sh208 billion health partnership with the United States.
Speaking at State House on Wednesday during the 12th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit, Ruto maintained that the agreement does not compromise Kenya’s control over citizens’ health information.
He dismissed fears that the deal exposes the country to external interference.
“Nobody and no government will take advantage of the people of Kenya as long as I am President,” Ruto said. “There is no way the agreement we signed can undermine the interests of the people of Kenya, including matters related to our health data.”
The President added that the Office of the Attorney General had scrutinised the agreement “with a tooth comb” to ensure all health data remains fully governed by Kenyan law.
“The law that prevails on data that belongs to the people of Kenya is Kenyan law, and that is with clarity,” he stated.
Ruto further highlighted Kenya’s strong diplomatic ties with the United States, saying its democratic values make it unlikely for US officials to misuse the partnership. Still, he noted that Kenya would not rely solely on goodwill.
“Much as they will not allow their own officials to take advantage of others, we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of by anybody,” he said.
The new health financing framework has sparked debate among Kenyans, with activists and social media influencers questioning transparency and data protection aspects of the deal. The funding will now be channelled directly to Kenyan government institutions such as the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA), departing from the long-standing model of routing funds through NGOs.
Go complain to US Ruto tells NGOs
Ruto pushed back at NGOs critical of the shift, insisting the change was initiated by the US government, not Kenya.
“It is not our decision; it is theirs. So if anybody is annoyed, they should take their anger to another place. They should not bring it to us,” he said.
He accused some organisations of spreading misinformation because they previously benefited from the old funding structure.
“If they have a problem with the current structure, they should talk to the US government,” he added.
The President assured county governments that their health budgets remain secure under the new arrangement. “Those resources will find their way to our counties,” he said.
Ruto also clarified that the facility is not a loan, dismissing fears that it adds to Kenya’s public debt.
He praised local expertise for making Kenya the first country to sign such an agreement with the United States.
“Our professionals at the Ministry of Health and the Attorney General’s Office are as good, if not better, than anywhere in the world,” he said. “We don’t need consultants because we have a human capital that has the capacity to do this.”
The government expects the US funding to be released in phases: Sh10 billion in FY 2026/27, Sh20 billion in FY 2027/28, Sh35 billion in FY 2028/29 and Sh50 billion in FY 2029/30. By 2031, Kenya will gradually take over the financing of US-supported health commodities and human resources worth 141 million USD.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the new model, saying it replaces fragmented, donor-controlled health funding with a government-to-government approach that emphasizes sustainability and accountability.
“We are not going to spend billions of dollars funding the NGO industrial complex while close and important partners like Kenya have little influence over how healthcare money is being spent,” Rubio stated.
The framework will support ongoing efforts to eliminate HIV, TB, malaria, and emerging infectious diseases in Kenya.
