The Parliamentary Service Commission has invited sealed bids from insurance providers for comprehensive medical cover for Members of Parliament and their families, bypassing the Social Health Authority scheme that the government has positioned as the cornerstone of universal health coverage.
In a tender notice published on December 5, 2025, the PSC announced that interested firms must submit proposals for the provision of medical insurance for a period of two years, with tenders accompanied by a tender security of KSh 4 million valid for 217 days from the date of opening.
The notice specifies that the security must be in the form of a bank guarantee from a reputable bank recognised by the Central Bank of Kenya and payable to the procurement entity. Tenders are to be delivered to Protection House on Parliament Road by 11 a.m. on December 19, 2025, and will be opened publicly in the presence of bidders' representatives.
The Parliamentary Joint Services, which oversees administrative functions for both the National Assembly and Senate, stated that the insurance must cover inpatient and outpatient services, maternity, dental, optical, and emergency evacuation for all MPs and their declared dependents.
The move has sparked widespread criticism, coming just weeks after the Teachers Service Commission mandated the transition of 390,000 teachers from the Minet scheme to SHA on December 1, 2025, a process that faced legal challenges from educators concerned about coverage gaps.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, who oversees SHA's implementation, defended the PSC's decision as an administrative choice. "Parliament has autonomy in managing its resources," Muturi said during a December 6 interview. "The SHA is for the broader public; MPs can choose providers that align with their operational needs."
However, Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Fred Matiang'i condemned the tender as hypocritical. "These are the same MPs who passed the SHA Bill and urged Kenyans to embrace it," Matiang'i said. "Now they want premium private cover paid from public funds. How do they expect ordinary Kenyans to trust a system leaders refuse to use?"
The tender's financial requirements have also drawn scrutiny. The KSh 4 million security—equivalent to the annual salary of a mid-level civil servant—effectively bars smaller insurers from bidding, favouring established players like Jubilee, CIC, and Britam.
Kenya Association of Insurance Brokers Executive Director Tom Omondi called the security "prohibitively high." "A KSh 4 million guarantee ties up capital for months," Omondi said. "This limits competition and likely inflates premiums. Parliament should lower it to KSh 500,000 to encourage more bids."
The PSC has not disclosed the estimated cost of the two-year cover, but similar tenders in 2023 valued MPs' insurance at KSh 1.2 billion annually, covering 349 MPs and up to 1,500 dependents.
Opposition Minority Whip Millie Odhiambo questioned the timing, coming amid SHA's rocky rollout. "Teachers are suing over coverage gaps, yet MPs want bespoke insurance," Odhiambo said. "This is not leadership; it's entitlement. Public funds should strengthen SHA for all, not fund elite exemptions."
The tender follows a July 2025 parliamentary motion to mandate civil servants use public hospitals, led by Murang'a Woman Rep Betty Maina. "The same doctors in private hospitals work in public ones," Maina said then. "The problem is perception, not quality."
Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi supported the motion, calling for mindset shifts. "Regulate exorbitant private fees," Elachi said. "UHC needs unified insurance with central pooling."
The PSC's move contradicts that ethos. National Council of Churches of Kenya Secretary General Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui: "Leaders must lead by example. Opting out of SHA undermines trust in the system they built."
SHA, launched in October 2024, has enrolled 12 million, surpassing NHIF's 8 million peak. Yet, 15,000 claims backlog Sh450 million persists, with 40 percent informal confusion on Sh300 levy.
SHA CEO Daniel Yumbya: "We welcome all, including public servants. Private opt-outs divert resources from universal coverage."
The tender closes December 19, with opening December 19. PSC Procurement Director Jane Wanjiku: "We seek comprehensive cover with no co-pays, global evacuation."
Critics like Kenya Human Rights Commission: "Hypocrisy erodes public confidence." KHRC's George Kegoro: "MPs praised SHA publicly; now they shun it privately. This double standard fuels inequality."
As bids roll in, the tender highlights tensions in UHC rollout. For now, MPs' health remains separate, a stark divide in a nation striving for equity.
