Garissa Town MP Aden Duale has vowed to stay put as the National Assembly Majority Leader, even after political leaders allied to both Jubilee and CORD called for his resignation.
Saying he was the most misunderstood politician, he further dismissed media reports that his outspokenness in the the fight against terror would strain his relationship with other Jubilee leaders, including the President and his deputy.
Duale said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto were fully behind him and other northern Kenya leaders: “The Jubilee leadership is happy with what northern Kenya leaders are doing to fight terror. We have created awareness among residents on the threat of Al Shabaab,” he said.
He said those attacking him personally and calling for his resignation are only malicious, noting that he will not step aside. “Being the Majority Leader and a strong defender of the Jubilee government for the last two years has earned me a lot of enemies from both the Opposition and those from the Jubilee coalition envious of my position,“ he said.
Duale said Uhuru and Ruto have confidence in him because of his unwavering support for the Jubilee government both in Parliament and outside.
READ MORE
Duale: Karura Forest tree cutting part of plan to restore ecosystem
Foreign fighters flocking to Islamic State in Somalia
Duale's 'garbage' comments miss the mark
African ministers seek unity on climate action amid reform calls
“The President and his deputy have confidence in me. And that gives me the energy,” said Duale.
“I want to make it very clear that my position will not change nor will I resign. I am a serious stakeholder in the Jubilee coalition. “In the past seven days we held meetings in Garissa, Wajir and Mandera and told our people that schools and health centres have collapsed and our economy is on the verge of collapsing too because Kenyans of none-Somali origin have left in droves, because of terrorism attacks and they must come out and assist because it is them that will suffer most,“ explained Duale.
Duale has been in the eye of the storm since early this month following the the Garissa University terror attack, after him together with other leaders from North Eastern were quoted in the press promising to name those who aid Al Shabaab terrorists.
TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja is the latest legislator to demand that Duale and other leaders from Northern Kenya be compelled to give information on Al Shabaab sympathisers or be forced to quit.
Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire have also separately expressed similar sentiments. Responding to the verbal attacks, Duale explained the statement he made on behalf of 34 leaders from North Kenya a fortnight ago was misconstrued to mean they personally know who the Al Shabaab sympathisers are. “I said we shall go back to our respective regions and communities and engage with local leaders like elders, chiefs and even religious leaders and ask them to help us identify amongst themselves who the financiers and sympathisers of Al Shabaab are,” said Duale, who added that they have asked the public to share with them names of suspected terrorists, if they are afraid to share the same with security agents.
Al Shabaab sympathisers
“The vow to make public the names of alleged Al Shabab financiers and sympathisers which has been attributed to me and leaders from Northern Kenya was a wrong impression created by a section of the media and some leaders,“ he added.
Sakaja on Thursday led a group of 13 TNA MPs in demanding that Duale and MPs from Northern Kenya make public the information they have on terrorists. “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.
Kabogo on Friday hit out at Duale, saying he should name the culprits without any delay. “We are talking about more than 147 lives lost and then Duale is saying we give him one month to release the list. We want him to name them now and if he doesn‘t, we will deal with him according to the law,“ said Kabogo.
Mbarire said leaders from North Eastern Kenya should name those linked to the Al Shabaab if they are sincere on fighting terrorism.
Speaking at Kamurege village, Embu East Sub County during the burial of 19-year old Caroline Karimi Gichovi, who died in the Garissa attack, the MP wondered why Duale and his colleagues did not expose those linked to the group prior to the attack.
“Why did they wait until the death of 142 students if they are sincere? It is very painful to take your child to college only to be killed. These leaders should take responsibility. We want to know who these people are,“ said Mbarire. Duale said he will not concentrate on sideshows and asked those attacking him to stop because the fight against terror needs cooperation from all leaders irrespective of their political affiliation.“We can only win this war against Al Shabaab if we speak out in one voice as leaders. The war against terror is real and attacking each other in public is trivialising it. We need unity of purpose,“ said Duale. He urged politicians to take cue from Northern Kenya leaders who have come together and publicly supported the government in the war against Al Shabaab.
“Terrorism is no longer synonymous with Islam. Al Shabaab too is no longer synonymous with members of the Somali community. We have seen them recruiting even people from the Luhyia and Kikuyu communities,“ he said. Quoting Martin Luther King, Duale said: “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor popular. But he must take it because conscience tells him it is right. That is my position.”
“We will win the war on terror if only Kenyans can remain united more than ever,” Duale said.
—Additional reporting by Jacob Ngetich