Political undertones have exposed infighting in President William Ruto’s administration as Cabinet Secretaries openly attack each other over the 2027 election.
The latest fallout pits Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale against his Lands counterpart Alice Wahome over remarks the former allegedly made about the Mt Kenya community.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki (left) and Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
At the same time, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has publicly differed with Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku over whether the Mt Kenya East region should chart its own political course independent of Mt Kenya West ahead of next year’s polls.
In a video widely circulated on social media, Mr Duale, speaking in Somali, allegedly compared the Kikuyu and Somali communities based on their population sizes.
He claimed that the Somali community had suffered discrimination under the administrations of former Presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta , while another community had disproportionately benefited.
In the same address, he thanked President Ruto for ending what he described as years of governance that favoured one community at the expense of others.
His remarks triggered sharp criticism from leaders in the Mt Kenya region, led by Lands CS Alice Wahome, who demanded an apology.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale (left) and his Lands counterpart Alice Wahome.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
However, Mr Duale has ruled out apologising, arguing that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has previously made statements that could equally be interpreted as ethnically divisive but has never faced any consequences.
The Health CS has also maintained that he will not honour a summons by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) unless Mr Gachagua is first subjected to similar action.
“Two wrongs do not make a right, and only a fool never changes their mind,” Ms Wahome wrote on X.
The former Kandara MP became the first Cabinet member to publicly rebuke Mr Duale and demand an apology.
She has since been joined by several Mt Kenya leaders, including Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, who have also condemned the Health CS over his remarks.
Mr Duale, however, insists that his statement was misunderstood.
He says the Somali phrase, Waraabe la-tagis bartay, ka-ridis waa ku dhib, is a traditional proverb and was never directed at any particular community.
“My message was about promoting unity and recognising that the government is serving all Kenyans equally regardless of tribe or religion,” Mr Duale said.
“I was referring to the difficulty of ending a system where one side had enjoyed advantages for a long time. I was not targeting or belittling any community. There is simply an attempt to deliberately misinterpret my remarks.”
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
In another video, Mr Duale, speaking in Somali, was quoted as calling for the removal of four Cabinet Secretaries from the Mt Kenya region.
“Sanadkaan, doorashadan, hadda fiiri, golaha wasiirada, sideed (8) waxaa weeye nimankaan dhagaxdhax, Soomali iyo xoola dhaqada iyo kuddi ani kali ah ayaa fadhiya meesha. Waxay iska dhigaan ba wadanka inay leeyahiin. Hadda William Ruto waxaan dhahay nimankaan sideedaan, waa in nus la fiijiya.”
The remarks can be translated as: “In the Cabinet, eight of them are from Central. Among the Somalis and pastoralist communities, I am the only one in the Cabinet. They behave as though this country belongs to them. I have asked President William Ruto that half of the eight should be removed from the Cabinet so that even a son from Weytan (a clan in Mandera) can be given a position.”
In a telephone interview on Monday, Mr Duale said his remarks had once again been taken out of context for political reasons.
“The claims attributed to me are entirely inaccurate and do not reflect what I said or intended to communicate. My remarks have been deliberately misconstrued, and I therefore attach no importance to these fabricated interpretations. The purported translations are false, misleading and deliberately crafted to advance a political narrative associated with Mr Rigathi Gachagua, whom I have previously described as a chief inciter,” he said.
The Cabinet members from Mt Kenya include Wahome (Lands), William Kabogo (ICT), Rebecca Miano (Tourism), Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture), Eric Mugaa (Water), Geoffrey Ruku (Public Service), Lee Kinyanjui (Trade) and Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau. Deputy President Kindiki also hails from the region.
Mt Kenya East comprises Embu, Meru and Tharaka-Nithi counties, as well as parts of Kirinyaga, and is expected to command close to two million votes in the 2027 elections.
Historically, the region has voted alongside Nyandarua, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kiambu, Laikipia and Nakuru counties as part of the wider Mt Kenya voting bloc.
Mr Ruku argues that the current arrangement has disadvantaged Mt Kenya East politically and that the region is now facing hostility despite producing the country’s Deputy President.
“I have nothing against the Kikuyu community, but we must embrace our own identity. Freedom fighters from Mt Kenya East played a major role in Kenya’s liberation, which is why we supported Jomo Kenyatta, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta,” Mr Ruku said during a church service in Kiambu County on June 30.
“It cannot be that when a son of Mt Kenya East works with President Ruto, leaders from Mt Kenya West tell us the government is bad and that we should leave it. We are not leaving.”
Days later, however, Prof Kindiki appeared to publicly contradict his Cabinet colleague, insisting that the wider Mt Kenya region has remained united for decades and should continue speaking with one political voice.
“I do not want people speaking different political languages because we have achieved so much together. We have a rich shared history, and nothing should divide us. As Deputy President, I will ensure the Mountain remains united and that all communities continue working together,” Prof Kindiki said during a church service in Embu County on July 19.
Over the weekend, the DP again criticised leaders questioning his suitability for office.
“The government cannot be good when the Deputy President comes from their side, but suddenly becomes bad when the Deputy President comes from this side. We supported Uhuru when he was President, and we cannot allow our region to begin speaking a different political language,” he said.
He added that although other regions were entitled to pursue their own political paths, Mt Kenya East would continue backing the government.
Prof Kindiki also acknowledged growing competition for the deputy presidency following the entry of Cooperative Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya into the broad-based government.
“I know more people, including Oparanya, have joined the government, but we are not leaving. We will fight our battles from within,” Prof Kindiki said.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya during a past event.
Photo credit: DPCS
ODM leaders from Nyanza and Western Kenya have insisted that, should UDA retain the presidency in 2027, the deputy presidential slot should go to ODM.
“People must understand that you cannot jump the queue. If UDA produces the presidential candidate, then ODM must produce the running mate, and that person should be Oparanya,” National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed said during a meeting in Kakamega over the weekend.
Mr Oparanya on Sunday revealed that there is pressure for him to leave the government and form a new party but insisted he would not take that route.
“Western has chosen to work directly with President Ruto. Those leaders who have been asking me to join them to form a government I know nothing about should know I am in government,” Mr Oparanya said.
Political analyst Prof Lumala Masibo says the growing public disagreements reflect an intensifying internal succession struggle within the Cabinet, particularly after Prof Kindiki appeared to soften his stance towards former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
“Some people now see Kindiki as charting his own political path. Even from his remarks over the weekend, he no longer comes across as someone completely aligned with the President. How can he confidently declare that the deputy presidency will remain with him when he is not the one who appoints the holder of that office?” Prof Masibo said.
His comments follow Mr Gachagua’s recent directive to his allies to stop attacking Prof Kindiki and instead focus their criticism directly on President Ruto.
“After the Ol Kalou events, it is becoming increasingly clear that President Ruto has lost significant support in the Mt Kenya region.
“The political battle has now shifted to who will secure the deputy presidential slot. Some Cabinet ministers from Mt Kenya are also using the controversy surrounding Mr Duale’s remarks to rebuild bridges with Mr Gachagua, who remains highly influential in the region,” Prof Masibo said.
Another political analyst, Martin Andati, has predicted that Mt Kenya politicians allied to President Ruto will eventually desert him for Mr Gachagua.
“They are only buying time because this is a government they helped form, but their loyalty is with Gachagua because they have political careers to salvage. The Kindiki-Oparanya question is also a major headache for the President, and the public divisions show that all is not well,” Mr Andati said.
