National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, Johnson Sakaja lock horns over terror remarks

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale.

The political bubble in diverse political establishments is likely to bust as the fight against terrorism takes shape.

And the situation is complex because as Kenyans unite to fight terrorism, hitherto friendly political relationships are straining as demands for answers to terror networks ensue.

Friday, leaders from Northern Kenya who a fortnight ago declared they would expose Al Shabaab sympathisers, seemed to be going slow on that promise.

A senator who attended the press conference the leaders held at Parliament Buildings, said a vow to profile, list and expose terrorist financiers and sympathisers was “a wrong impression” created by various entities.

“First, I want to correct the wrong impression created by sections of the media, religious leaders and political leadership by continuously talking about a list that was going to be generated by (Leader of the Majority Aden Duale) and other leaders from Northern Kenya. In fact, the list can never be a debate with the media, sections of political and religious leadership,” said Wajir Senator Addirahman Hassan.

This happened as various MPs from across the political divide mounted pressure on the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly to step aside.

But yesterday the leaders from Northern Kenya came out guns brazing to defend Duale saying he had been unfairly targeted.

The leaders led by Garissa Senator Yussuf Haji said attempts to associate Duale and leaders of Northern Kenya to terrorism are misguided and could divide Kenyans.

“The attempt to associate Duale and leaders from North Eastern to acts of terrorism is ill-intended and aimed at dividing Kenyans along ethnic and religious line as per the tactics of Al-Shabaab. We stand by our leader in this fight against terror and no amount of intimidation or statement from short sighted personalities will ever dim our spirits,” said Haji.

Recently, Duale and leaders from North Eastern announced a 30-day period during which they would name sympathisers and financiers of terrorism following the recent attack at Garissa University College where 148 people lost their lives.
But in a statement issued shortly after the press conference TNA Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja said leaders must be accountable for their statements and actions.

“I have never accused any individual leader as being a sympathiser or financier of terror. Kenyans eagerly want to know what information they have and for how long they have had it. We look forward to them handing over the list they promised,” Sakaja said.

Sakaja on Thursday led a group of 13 TNA MPs who demanded that Duale and the leaders of Northern Kenya be forced to give information on terror or quit.

Yesterday, Sakaja said the leaders should stop diverting attention of Kenyans from the “terror list by trivialising issues and making the fight against terror a minor storm in a tea cup between Duale and him.”

“I have absolutely no political scores to settle with Duale, neither do I have even remote interest in Duale’s position as they have alleged; in any case, it is a seat reserved for URP,” Sakaja clarified.

However, the leaders termed Sakaja’s statement unfortunate saying it was irresponsible and had political overtones.

In a statement signed by 40 legislators from Northern Kenya, the leaders announced that they stood by their earlier commitment to work closely with security agencies and the people of Northern Kenya to eliminate Al-Shabaab and their sympathisers.

Bura MP Ali Wario insisted that if the war on terror is reduced to ethnic lines, it will not come to an end.

“We all belong to TNA and if Sakaja wants to deal with the fight on terror on tribal and religious line, he must resign,” Wario said.

They insisted that the team had gone round boldly to speak about Al-Shabaab and encourage the local communities to bring in the lists.
“It is unfortunate that a few of the political leaders think that the fight against Al-Shabaab can be undertaken of the floor of the National Assembly. The likes of Sakaja are cowards, let them go to the field like us, talk boldly about terrorism so that we fight it as a common enemy,” said Hassan.

The leaders challenged the government to announce the names of the three other people who were involved in the Garissa massacre adding that MPs must stop side shows and come out to support the drive to save the country.

Being the chairman of a very important party in the Jubilee Coalition, the MPs said the best Sakaja could have done is unite the coalition at this difficult time.

“We expected Sakaja here to be standing with all of us, but he stood here with less than 10 MPs. Duale is doing a good job for this country, we salute his service for the country of Kenya. If anybody were to resign today it is not Duale, we need to support him, it is Sakaja who should resign for providing a divisive attitude in our country in this very difficult moment,” they reiterated.

Sakaja said Kenyans are going through untold pain brought by terrorism and called upon the leaders to find time to condole with the families of the victims of Garrissa University terror and to continue reassuring them Kenya will triumph over evil.