Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has declared that he will not honour any summons from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) unless the commission also summons former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over what he described as inflammatory remarks against the Somali and Muslim communities.
Speaking during a wedding ceremony in Garissa Town on Sunday, Duale accused the commission of applying double standards in handling alleged hate speech cases, insisting that the law should be enforced fairly and without discrimination.
“I want to tell NCIC, the day you are going to summon Rigathi Gachagua is the day you are going to summon Aden Duale. The day I appear before NCIC, I will walk in together with Rigathi Gachagua,” he stated.
The Health CS maintained that he would not comply with any summons unless Gachagua is first held accountable for remarks he claims targeted members of the Somali and Muslim communities.
“If you do not bring Rigathi Gachagua before you for the statements he made about the Somali community and Muslims, you cannot write me a letter. I will not comply,” Duale affirmed.
He accused Gachagua of making divisive remarks, including questioning the appointment of Somalis to senior government positions, particularly within the security sector, and making derogatory comments about Somali business leaders.
“You stood on a public platform and asked why Somalis had been appointed to senior security positions. You insulted our business community in Eastleigh. We remained silent, and you thought we were fools,” he said.
Duale argued that if NCIC is committed to combating hate speech, it must investigate all leaders equally, regardless of their political affiliation or status.
He further accused Gachagua of repeatedly making statements that undermine national cohesion, stating that those who engage in ethnic or religious incitement should be subjected to the same legal process.
Duale rallied support for President William Ruto’s re-election, stating that leaders from North Eastern Kenya and pastoralist counties would mobilise overwhelming support for the President in the next General Election.
“We, the leaders from Wajir, Garissa, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Tana River and the entire pastoralist region, will mobilise more than five million votes for William Ruto,” he declared.
According to Duale, the President has earned the region’s support by addressing historical injustices that had affected the Somali community for decades.
“For more than 60 years, the Somali community was discriminated against in accessing identity cards, passports and birth certificates. President Ruto came, saw the problem and changed it,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary also credited the President with expanding infrastructure and improving government services in the region, including the construction of the Isiolo-Mandera road and decentralising passport services to Garissa.
He said the administration had demonstrated that all communities deserve equal treatment and equal opportunities.
“We will re-elect President Ruto because he has brought equality to the Republic of Kenya more than any other President. He has shown that Kenya is one nation and all communities are equal,” Duale said.
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