Cabinet Secretary for Defence Aden Duale has shed light on the reasons behind his falling out with Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga.
During an interview on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show on Wednesday, Duale delved into the past, claiming that Odinga had betrayed him politically during the Grand Coalition government of 2008, despite Duale having been his key campaigner in Northern Kenya.
Duale had been elected to Parliament on an ODM party ticket, revealed that the former prime minister and late President Mwai Kibaki had failed to appoint him to the Cabinet, as they had already selected the late Mohamed Yusuf Haji, who hailef from the same district as Duale, as the Defence Minister.
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Duale says Odinga’s refusal to grant him the appointment was a clear betrayal.
“I was a loyalist of Baba. Baba inducted me into the school of politics. We campaigned for Raila Odinga mainly in the Muslim areas…I was his chief campaigner in the North; both in terms of the numbers, and resources, and that is where the politics of deceit started,” Duale stated.
“When the cabinet of the grand coalition was formed, Raila Odinga looked at me in the eyes and said Kibaki has appointed another candidate, Haji, to be the Minister for Defence so we can’t have two of you from the same county, the same district then.”
“I remember I told him he should have told me, I would have gone to PNU and square out with Haji for the ministerial position. I was part of your coalition.”
As a fervent supporter of President William Ruto, the outspoken Cabinet Secretary placed blame on the former Prime Minister for his dismissal from the post of Assistant Agriculture Minister alongside Ruto, who was his superior.
“It is Raila who fired Ruto…William Ruto and I were fired on the same day. It was around three o’clock. I was in my office and the screens showed the following have been sacked as ministers,” he said.
Duale remained steadfast in his belief that Odinga would continue to betray his supporters if, for instance, he were to strike a similar deal with the current administration, citing the aftermath of the controversial Handshake between Odinga and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“The only part I am disappointed with about Baba is that he is still in the business of politics of deceit and betrayal, even today. Baba went and did a handshake with Uhuru, he did not consult Kalonzo, Mudavadi, or Wetangula and he is going to do that if at all there’s going to be a handshake which I don’t think so,” he noted.
