Moses Kuria, the Senior Economic Advisor in the Office of the President, disclosed that Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire will cover 50 per cent of Taifa care premiums for over 10,000 boda boda riders in Embu.
Kuria disclosed during a preparatory consultative meeting with Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire regarding a countywide mass registration initiative that boda boda riders will receive benefits from Mbarire’s Afyaboda na Karinda program.
Kuria stated that the riders would remit the balance automatically through their mobile money in small daily installments.
Under the arrangement with the associations, the riders would help register Embu citizens for Taifa Care, working alongside other Community Health Promoters (CHPs).
Under Taifa Care, non-salaried individuals in Kenya, which includes most boda boda riders, must contribute 2.75% of their household income, with a minimum contribution set at Ksh300.
The new partnership entails that boda boda riders in Embu will need to make a minimum contribution of Ksh150, while Mbarire’s program will cover the remaining half.
Households that do not make their contributions punctually will incur a penalty equal to 2 percent of the outstanding contribution for the relevant period. Contributions to the Social Health Insurance Fund for employees will be mainly handled via the SHA employer portal.
Kenyans can obtain free primary healthcare services at contracted facilities by enrolling in Taifa Care. This aligns with President William Ruto’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) initiative.
By November 2024, more than 15 million Kenyans had signed up with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Lamu, Kiambu, and Bomet are the top five counties with the highest number of registrations, whereas Turkana, Garissa, Mandera, West Pokot, and Marsabit have the lowest registration numbers.
