NAIROBI, Kenya – Wajir North MP Ibrahim Saney has launched a scathing attack on Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, accusing him of divisive politics, intolerance of dissent and waging political wars against leaders across northern Kenya.
In a press briefing, Saney said Duale — a seasoned politician and former Majority Leader in the National Assembly — had “reached political menopause,” arguing that the CS had abandoned statesmanship in favour of confrontation and personal attacks.
“He has come so low, fighting everybody,” Saney said, claiming that the CS can no longer convene meaningful political meetings in his home county of Garissa due to growing resistance from local leaders and communities.
The Wajir North MP accused Duale of stoking tensions in the region by holding meetings that allegedly incite communities against each other, even as northern Kenya grapples with prolonged drought and humanitarian challenges.
Saney also criticised what he described as Duale’s public display of wealth and political muscle, including claims about owning thousands of camels and references to helicopters dominating the skies during election periods.
“People’s power counts, not Duale’s wealth and power,” Saney said, insisting that arrogance and opulence have no place in public leadership.
“Political Menopause”: @HonAdenDuale Under Fire As Wajir North MP Accuses Him Of ‘Attacking Leaders’
While distancing himself from any opposition to President William Ruto, Saney emphasised that he remains a loyal supporter of the President and his agenda, noting that Ruto values humility and popular support rather than political intimidation.
“I voted for President William Ruto and I will continue to vote for him,” he said. “The President wants people’s support, not leaders showcasing arrogance and liability.”
The MP further accused him of dragging tribal considerations into politics in northern Kenya, warning that such rhetoric risks deepening divisions in an already fragile region.
He claimed the Health CS is at loggerheads with several prominent leaders, including Wajir Senator Abdul Yusuf Haji, elders and other elected representatives.
“In Wajir, no Member of Parliament associates with him,” Saney alleged, adding that Duale is hostile to any Somali leader perceived to be gaining proximity to the President or influence within government.
Saney defended his own clashes with the CS, saying they stem from his constitutional role of oversight and accountability rather than indiscipline or disrespect to the presidency.
“Questioning government is my work — to oversight, to appropriate and to legislate,” he said. “That is not indiscipline. That is the work of every Member of Parliament.”
He also faulted Duale’s remarks on military promotions and senior government appointments, saying such matters fall strictly under the President’s mandate and should not be politicised.
“It is not prudent to discuss the military and how they are promoted,” Saney said, describing references to a senior military officer from his community as irresponsible and unexpected.
On civil service appointments, the MP stressed that principal secretaries and Cabinet secretaries are appointed solely by the President, adding that recent appointments were part of broader political agreements and not attributable to individual ministers.
Saney also rejected what he termed as demands for “blind obedience,” saying his loyalty — as a Muslim and a leader — could never be unquestioning.
“Blind obedience is only to Allah,” he said. “I will never give blind obedience to anybody else.”
