Health CS Aden Duale addressing residents of Lafey.
/STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Health CS Aden
Duale has come under sharp criticism over remarks he made during a community
empowerment event in Lafey Constituency on Tuesday last week in Mandera County.
He is
accused of allegedly promoting ethnic division through comments directed at the Kikuyu
community.
The
remarks, captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media, were
made during an event hosted by Lafey MP Abdikheir Mohammed.
Speaking
in his local dialect, Duale praised the Kenya Kwanza administration for what he described as
restoring the dignity of the Somali community before making comments that have
since sparked widespread backlash.
In the
video, Duale alleges that some communities believes no other should prosper in Kenya.
"They have said that nobody else will live well in Kenya except them," he says.
"They have said Kenya is ours and nobody else will live
in Kenya, even the likes of Moses Wetang'ula," Duale says in the viral
clip.
Earlier in
his address, the Health CS lauded President William Ruto, saying he is the
first Head of State since independence to restore the dignity of the Somali
community and make them feel fully integrated as Kenyan citizens.
He cited
the abolition of the extra vetting process previously required for residents of
the North Eastern region seeking national identity cards, as well as ongoing
infrastructure projects, including the Isiolo-Mandera road, the Garissa Airport
and Garissa Bridge, and the construction of madrassas.
"President
William Ruto stood in Wajir and declared that Muslim and Somali youths would be
treated the same as every other Kenyan. This man has restored our dignity. He
is constructing the road from Isiolo to Mandera, he has built Garissa Airport
and Garissa Bridge, and he has supported the construction of madrassas,"
Duale said.
However,
it is his remarks about a Kenyan community that have overshadowed the rest of
his speech and triggered condemnation from political leaders, who warned that
such rhetoric risks undermining national cohesion.
The matter
found its way to the Senate on Thursday, where lawmakers took time to denounce
the remarks, describing them as unfortunate and unbecoming of a Cabinet
Secretary.
Garissa
senator Abdul Haji said that we want a peaceful country calling on leaders to
be measured in their utterances.
“It is
true we want a peaceful and united country and it is wrong for any leader to stand
in any podium and discriminate any one community in this country. If leaders make such utterances which are emotive,
they will definitely bring disharmony in the country. It was wrong for him,” he
said.
Narok
Senator Ledama Olekina said leaders occupying high public office have a
responsibility to unite rather than divide Kenyans.
"I
listened to my very good friend, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon Aden
Duale, making a comparison between two communities, creating one community as more superior than
the others. Such comments will drag this country back to the trenches," he
said.
Kitui
Senator Enoch Wambua warned that Kenya cannot afford a return to the ethnic
tensions that preceded the 2007/08 post-election violence, urging leaders to
exercise restraint in their public pronouncements.
"As
leaders in this country, we are heading onto very dangerous ground. The
elections are only a year or so away, and the utterances of leaders regarding
coexistence among communities are alarming," Wambua said.
Recalling
the events that preceded the 2007 General Election, Wambua cautioned against
the use of inflammatory language targeting any community.
"We
were in this country in 2007 when people were calling each other frogs and all
manner of names. We all know what followed. We must tell Duale. They are citizens of this country with every right to live here and
coexist peacefully with every other Kenyan."
He added
that all leaders have a duty to safeguard national unity.
"All
of us, including the Speaker, myself and every leader in this country, have a
duty of care to preach peace and coexistence. If we allow this country to burn
because of reckless rhetoric, there will be no other Kenya for any of us."
Separately,
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Falhada Iman issued a strongly
worded statement condemning Duale's remarks, describing them as unfortunate,
divisive and inconsistent with the Constitution.
"Kenya
is a nation built on the principles of equality, dignity, inclusivity and
respect for every citizen. No tribe or community should ever be demeaned,
stereotyped or subjected to derogatory labels. Every Kenyan, regardless of
ethnicity, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," she said.
Iman said
leaders carry a greater responsibility to foster unity and national cohesion,
particularly at a time when the country requires healing and constructive
dialogue.
"Public
statements should inspire confidence, strengthen our shared identity and
reinforce the constitutional principle that all Kenyans are equal before the
law."
She
further urged leaders across the political divide to avoid rhetoric that could
inflame ethnic tensions.
"Let us reject tribalism in all its forms and instead embrace the spirit of unity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. Kenya belongs to all of us. No individual or community is superior to another, and no one should be subjected to insults or demeaning language because of their ethnic background. We are one nation, united by one Constitution and one shared destiny."
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Falhada Iman speaking to the press recently./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
