The legislation later formed the foundation of the government’s Social Health Authority (SHA) reforms.
Speaking during a radio interview on Tuesday, March 10, Muturi said he initially resisted signing the memorandum because the bills had not followed the proper legal process.
As Attorney General at the time, he said his office was expected to thoroughly review all legislation before it was forwarded to Parliament.
According to Muturi, the documents included the Primary Healthcare Act, the Digital Health Act, the Facility Improvement Financing Act, and the Social Health Insurance Act.
These laws were later enacted as part of the government’s plan to overhaul Kenya’s healthcare financing system and accelerate the rollout of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Muturi said he had serious concerns about approving the memo because the bills had not been processed through the Attorney General’s office in the usual manner.
He maintained that the legal review stage is important because it ensures proposed laws comply with constitutional and legislative requirements before they are tabled in Parliament.
Despite his reservations, Muturi said he eventually approved the cabinet memorandum after pressure from senior government officials.
He explained that he made the decision in order to maintain harmony within government and avoid putting the President in a difficult position ahead of a public rally in Kakamega.
The former AG said he believed the issues he had raised would later be corrected through amendments once the bills were formally reviewed through the legal process. However, he claimed that this never happened.
Muturi further revealed that shortly after signing the memorandum, the National Assembly summoned him to explain the progress of the four bills. He said he was unable to provide detailed answers because the legislation had not been formally processed through his office.
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