Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has responded to criticism over remarks he made in Lafey Constituency, saying his words were widely misquoted and taken out of context.
In a statement on Friday, July 24, Duale said the remarks had been used to create false and misleading narratives, insisting that his message was not directed at any community or intended to demean anyone.
Explaining the phrase he used, Duale said it was a Somali proverb that had long been part of the community’s oral tradition and was meant figuratively to describe the difficulty of ending long-enjoyed advantages.
"The phrase I used, "Waraabe la-tagis bartay, ka-ridis waa ku dhib," is a well-known Somali proverb that has long been part of our oral tradition. It is a figurative expression about the difficulty of ending entrenched habits or long-enjoyed advantages. It was never directed at any community or intended to demean anyone," he wrote.
Duale said his remarks were intended to emphasise the need for inclusivity as the government continued to provide opportunities for Kenyans from all regions and ethnic communities to serve the nation.
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"My message was about the importance of embracing inclusivity as the Government continues to ensure that all Kenyans, regardless of their region or ethnicity, have an opportunity to serve the nation," he added.
Duale dismissed claims that his remarks amounted to ethnic incitement, describing the interpretation of his words as a deliberate distortion of his message.
"Attempts to portray my remarks as ethnic incitement are therefore dishonest and a deliberate distortion of what I said," he further said.
Duale also criticised what he described as selective outrage among some leaders, saying those condemning his remarks had previously remained silent when inflammatory statements targeting the Somali community were made.
"I also find it regrettable that some of those now expressing outrage remained silent when inflammatory remarks targeting the Somali community were made in the past. Public leaders should reject selective outrage and apply the same standards consistently," he concluded.
Earlier Friday, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru criticized Duale over the remarks, describing them as deeply regrettable.
She warned Duale against reducing the current government’s political challenges to tribal prejudice.
"The ethnic profiling remarks made by CS Aden Duale in response to the Ol Kalou by-election are deeply regrettable.
"It is both overly simplistic and dangerous to reduce the government’s political challenges to tribal prejudice, especially when this very Kikuyu community stood with us so overwhelmingly in the past," she stated.
Waiguru called on CS Duale to exercise restraint given his long political career and position in government, and also asked the Health CS to apologize to Mt Kenya residents over the remarks.
"Given your stature and long experience in politics, such utterances are wholly unacceptable. An apology is not only necessary; it is owed to the people of Kenya," she added.
Further, Waiguru urged politicians to avoid divisive rhetoric ahead of the 2027 General Election.
"Kenya belongs to all of us, Kikuyus included, and our unity must never be undermined by careless rhetoric," she further said.
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