Bitter exchanges expose Ruto's government

Bitter exchanges by senior leaders in President William Ruto’s government have exposed the Kenya Kwanza coalition’s underbelly as Cabinet Secretaries continue exchanging barbs.

Tensions are emerging from some Cabinet Secretaries (CS’) stroking ethnic tensions, to fears by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s allies that he is being unfairly treated.

Indeed, Kindiki himself warned this week that they will not be leaving the government despite new partners coming in through the broad-based government.

“We will not be leaving this government anytime despite some people urging us to do so. We have others like Wycliffe Oparanya who have come in, but we will stay in and claim our rightful place,” said Kindiki at a meeting attended by CS Oparanya who is rumoured to be among those eying his seat.

Yesterday, a seemingly outraged Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Alice Wahome, called the media to address a list of issues she was unhappy with, among them tribal utterances by her Health docket colleague, Aden Duale.

“The CS will address the current political temperatures in the country and also respond to recent utterances by CS Aden Duale,” read the press invite despatched to newsrooms yesterday morning.

She, however, cancelled the presser later before the scheduled time without giving reasons, raising online speculation that some powerful people had intervened to stop the exchanges.

Duale’s divisive remarks have since last week raised political temperatures, sparking a storm and raising concerns over a seemingly divided house, and creating an acrimonious exchange of words.

Tension mounted further in government after it emerged that some senior Cabinet Secretaries are pushing President Ruto to remove some of the Cabinet Secretaries from the Mt Kenya region.

But Duale has maintained a hardline stance, saying that he will not apologize, as he also set conditions that he would not appear before National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) unless former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is also summoned.

He has accused the Commission of double standards, while also demanding that all political leaders be subjected to the same legal standards regardless of their position or political affiliation.

Senior leaders in government like Duale have made NCIC weak and toothless. From the foregoing, the commission now lacks credibility and even the mandate to carry out its work properly.

Duale’s cabinet colleagues from the Mt Kenya region and other leaders have demanded an apology from Duale over what has been termed as inflammatory remarks he made against the Kikuyu community.

Wahome, who was infuriated by Duale’s remarks, was among the first leaders to react last week. She urged him to ‘apologize profusely’.

 “CS Duale, your recent remarks against the Kikuyu Community have brought out the worst in you. You have been called to apologise but you said no because according to you other people have made worse mistakes. Let me respond to you after all I’m also a hy...Two wrongs don’t make a right and only a fool who does not change his/her mind. You should withdraw your remarks and apologise profusely,” Wahome posted.

Duale, however, has maintained that his remarks were taken out of context, defended himself against the criticism and resisted growing demands for an apology.

His stance has further intensified the controversy, with critics arguing that declining to withdraw the remarks has prolonged the dispute.

“I have been widely misquoted and my remarks delivered in Lafey Constituency have been taken out of context to advance false and misleading narratives. The phrase I used 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 insisted.

He said his 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.

“Attempts to portray my remarks as ethnic incitement are therefore dishonest and a deliberate distortion of what I said. 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,” Duale stated.

As this happened, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has since stated he does not know what Duale said and would have to go through the facts to see if to appear before NCIC or not, in what seemed as coming to his defense.

Ruku, however, said that a person should appear if summoned by any court, but when asked if the same should happen if a constitutional commission did, he noted that facts would have to be analyzed first.

“I do not know what Duale said; I have not listened to what he said. I cannot be able to comment in an informed way...there is no community that is a hyena, if he called Mbeeres hyenas it is not the right thing to do,” Ruku said.

“He should appear if summoned, but at the same time NCIC should summon former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Let see NCIC do its mandate fairly and invite Gachagua because he is on record,” he added, as he seemingly contradicted himself.

Wahome and Ruku have also disagreed over remarks that the latter has persistently and unapologetically been making, pointing to dividing Mt Kenya into two parts, East and West.

“The President has been at the forefront saying he does not want differences on ethnicity and now if we take a community and start subdividing, we are not building into the strength and the direction that the Head of State has taken in this country of uniting the people even from regions that opposed him. You cannot preach the unity of a nation and then divide a community and reject that trajectory,” Wahome previously said.

Others allied to the Kenya Kwanza Government but have called out the CS include Kirinyaga Governor, Anne Waiguru who said the ethnic profiling remarks he made in response to the Ol Kalou by-election are 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 said.

“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. As we move toward the General Election, let us embrace responsibility and sobriety in our words and actions. Kenya belongs to all of us, Kikuyus included, and our unity must never be undermined by careless rhetoric,” she added.

Similarly, Githunguri MP, Gathoni Wamuchomba, an ardent Government supporter, also called out the CS, saying he was out of order over his remarks.

“Accept the reality that UDA was squarely defeated in Olkalau. Trying to attack Uhuru Kenyatta to cover the shame and calling him mkabila (tribal) is purely defeatist. You should be the last person to brand Uhuru mkabila! You were his Majority Leader in 2013 to 2022 in Parliament as a Somali MP appointed by Uhuru Kenyatta! Ooh tell us, for 10 years you didn't know he was mkabila?” Wamuchomba uttered.

Wahome’s comments come after a growing list of political leaders demanded that the Health CS retract the remarks.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua counterpart also condemned the remarks and not only called on Duale to take responsibility but also demanded an apology, with other political leaders further calling for his resignation.

A section of senators and other political leaders have similarly accused Duale of making comments that could deepen ethnic divisions in a country where political rhetoric around communities remains highly sensitive.

The comments triggered widespread criticism, with opponents arguing that the language used was inappropriate for a senior government official and risked fueling ethnic tensions.

In addition to concerns over utterances, a fresh succession battle is emerging over the Deputy President’s position in the next General Election.