NAIROBI, Kenya — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale is facing mounting criticism from political leaders over remarks he made following the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, with Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru leading calls for an apology and warning against rhetoric that could deepen ethnic divisions ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Waiguru described Duale’s remarks as “deeply regrettable,” accusing the Cabinet Secretary of reducing the government’s political challenges to tribal prejudice.
“The ethnic profiling remarks made by CS Aden Duale in response to the Ol Kalou by-election are deeply 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.
The governor, a senior United Democratic Alliance (UDA) leader, said Duale’s comments fell below the standards expected of a seasoned national leader.
“Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, 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,” Waiguru added.
She urged leaders across the political divide to exercise restraint as the country heads toward the next General Election.
“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 said.
The backlash comes days after Duale dismissed celebrations by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over the outcome of the Ol Kalou by-election, making remarks that critics say portrayed the Kikuyu community in ethnic terms.
The issue also sparked heated debate in the Senate, where several lawmakers condemned the Health CS’s comments and warned against the resurgence of ethnic politics.
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina criticized the remarks, arguing that leaders should unite Kenyans rather than pit communities against one another.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua also faulted Duale, saying Cabinet Secretaries should avoid statements capable of inflaming ethnic tensions, while Garissa Senator Abdul Haji joined calls for responsible leadership and national cohesion. During Thursday’s sitting, senators urged that the matter be formally brought before the House through a substantive motion.
The criticism adds to growing scrutiny over political messaging following the violence that marred the July 16 Ol Kalou by-election, where armed gangs disrupted voting in several polling stations and journalists were attacked, drawing condemnation from local and international rights groups.