Former employees of the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), including those appointed to senior positions in the new health scheme Social Health Authority (SHA), will learn their fate within three months.

Within this period, over 1,700 employees will find out whether they will be absorbed by SHA or redeployed by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

SHA Acting Chief Executive Officer, Robert Ingasira, stated that the vetting process for employees to be retained by the authority is currently underway.

He explained that from November 21, staffing matters at the new scheme were taken over by PSC. However, for continuity purposes, the employees were temporarily redeployed back to SHA, where they continue to provide services to ensure a smooth transition in service delivery.

This redeployment, he noted, is for a period of six months. “Within six months, SHA is expected to conduct a competitive recruitment process, giving priority to former NHIF staff,” Ingasira said, adding, “By the end of the six-month period, SHA will have identified those it intends to retain.” “The law is clear that those who return to public service will be deployed within the public sector,” Ingasira added.

Currently, he stated that SHA is working on ensuring that the process for identifying employees to be retained, through an assessment, is completed.

In the identification process, SHA will retain employees deemed effective and transfer others back to the PSC. Those transferred to the PSC, according to the SHA CEO, will have to decide whether to accept redeployment within the public service or voluntarily retire.

“Recruitment will begin soon. Those who wish to retire voluntarily will be given the opportunity, and the public service will guide them,” Ingasira told The Standard.

His comments follow the appointment of at least 24 senior officials to run the authority. Ingasira, however, clarified that these senior employees are serving in an acting capacity.

These employees will also apply for the respective positions, with those who qualify being selected to serve at the authority.

 “After the staff were brought back by the public service, we had to implement temporary structures to help the organisation. This was only temporary, and when positions are advertised, they will be treated equally, and everyone will be free to apply for the positions they feel qualified for,” the Acting CEO explained.

The appointments were announced in December by SHA Chairperson Dr Abdi Mohammed, with Ingasira being designated to serve concurrently as the Director and Funds and Finance Manager.

“We have some people just reporting to work and doing nothing, simply because their positions were taken over by newly appointed individuals,” said an insider, adding that those who were replaced despite having no role, are still receiving their salaries.