CS Wahome calls out Duale over refusal to apologize for controversial remarks

Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has criticised Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale over remarks he allegedly made against the Kikuyu community. 

In a statement on Sunday, July 26, Wahome said Duale had been urged to apologise for his remarks but had declined, arguing that other people had made worse mistakes. 

“Aden 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,” she wrote.

Wahome said the position was unacceptable and called on the Health CS to withdraw his comments and issue an apology.

She said the fact that others may have made mistakes could not justify remarks she considered offensive, insisting that Duale should reconsider his position.

“Let me respond to you. Two wrongs don’t make a right, and only a fool does not change his/her mind. You should withdraw your remarks and apologise profusely,” she added.

While responding to backlash over his alleged remarks, Duale said his words were widely misquoted and taken out of context.  

In a statement on Friday, July 24, he said the remarks had been used to create false and misleading narratives, insisting that his message was not directed at any community or intended to demean anyone. 

Explaining the phrase he used, Duale said it was a Somali proverb that had long been part of the community’s oral tradition and was meant figuratively to describe the difficulty of ending long-enjoyed advantages.

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“The phrase I used, “Waraabe la-tagis bartay, ka-ridis waa ku dhib,” 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 wrote.

Duale said his remarks were intended to emphasise the need for inclusivity as the government continued to provide opportunities for Kenyans from all regions and ethnic communities to serve the nation.

“My 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,” he added.

Duale dismissed claims that his remarks amounted to ethnic incitement, describing the interpretation of his words as a deliberate distortion of his message.

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

Duale also criticised what he described as selective outrage among some leaders, saying those condemning his remarks had previously remained silent when inflammatory statements targeting the Somali community were made.

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