Aden Duale censured for threat to quit Jubilee

Jubilee Majority Leader Aden Duale has threatened to quit the coalition if Muslims continue to be harassed by police hunting down terror suspects. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

By STEPHEN MAKABILA and JACOB NGETICH

Kenya: The war on terror spilled over into the Jubilee coalition with some of its Members of Parliament ganging up against their Majority Leader Aden Duale over his threats to withdraw his support for the government owing to what he called arbitrary arrests of Muslims in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Kajiado West MP Moses ole Sakuda took issue with Mr Duale’s threat to quit and said as a senior leader in government, he had access to the President whom he could consult rather than go public with divisive statements.

“As Leader of Majority, Duale has unlimited access to both President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto because he is the third in authority,” said Sakuda who asked the MP to respect the doctrine of collective responsibility.

“If Jubilee is targeting his people, then it is Duale himself targeting his own people,” said Sakuda.

Leadership

Senate Chief Whip Beatrice Elachi joined the remonstrations and asked Duale to demonstrate leadership by working with other leaders to help the country confront the terrorism threat rather than point fingers at others.

“Duale is among the senior most politicians in government who should be in the forefront of contributing to finding solutions to this growing threat,” said the nominated MP who added that terrorism should not be viewed as a Somali or Muslim affairs because it concerns everyone, including the Christians.

But even before the dust had settled, other Muslim leaders supported Duale and said the search for suspected terrorists in Nairobi and Mombasa was discriminatory.

Lagdera MP Mohamed Shidiye condemned the government for “arbitrarily subjecting the Somali community” to inhuman treatment instead of conducting a credible investigation that could result in legitimate arrests.

“How can you round up and beat up adults, arrest 1,000 people. The police are getting it all wrong. They are soliciting bribes and harassing people in the pretext that they are searching for terrorists,” said Shidiye.

He has also protested that the on going purge against alleged terrorists was in gross violation of human rights and was counterproductive because it was marginalising one group of Kenyans.

To gain traction in the fight against terror President Kenyatta should purge the police force of incompetent security officers, said Shidiye.

Suna-East MP Mohammed Junet insisted that Duale was justified in his demands but said he must make good his threat to quit the Jubilee government if Muslims continue to be unfairly targeted.

“Yes. I support Duale’s demands but they should not be a public relations gimmick where the Majority Leader is playing to the gallery. He should make sure the government he serves meets his demands,” said Junet.

Caution

However, some members of the Jubilee coalition called for caution. TNA national chairman Johnson Sakaja responded: “Are you sure he made those remarks? I have not watched the video of his speech and I cannot comment merely on what has been reported in newspapers,” said the nominated MP.

Meru County MP Florence Kajuju said leaders in government must not create the impression that one community or faith was being targeted in the ongoing crackdown.

“The government must apprehend those who are on the wrong side of the law, whether Christian or Muslim,” said Kajuju.

“As an MP, one had to be the voice of the constituents, but leaders must also appreciate that the government is engaged in an exercise that is crucial for peace and stability to prevail in the country,” she said.

Targets

On Friday, Duale said police were targeting Muslims in the ongoing crackdown on terror and declared that as a leader, he had to stand by his people.

Duale spoke at a rally in Eastleigh attended by more than 20 MPs and Senators from North Eastern, Coast and Upper Eastern regions.

Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow accused the government of fuelling youth radicalisation by the way it was conducting its investigations .

On Friday legislator accused officers from Pangani police station of raping women and demanding bribes from those they had arrested before they could release them.

As Leader of Majority in Parliament, Duale is a key member of the United Republican Party (URP) and is its official spokesperson.

The head of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Nairobi, Dr Adams Oloo, has tried to read into the controversy and said Duale’s predicament was clear . . . the MP was torn between serving the interests of the government and his own community.

Interests

“That is where this interests collide and he has to stand by his community,” said Oloo.

Duale may be a Majority Leader but he comes from a constituency or community, which by the virtue of the position he holds, expects him to be their leading defender at the national level, said Oloo.

Yesterday, a more relaxed Duale appeared to be more reconciliatory when he spoke to the Standard on Sunday on phone.

Duale said he could not leave Jubilee as one of its founder members, but reiterated that as a MP he had the responsibility of championing for the right of his constituents.

Witness

“What we have witnessed in Eastleigh is disturbing and the police are trying to damage the good name of Jubilee coalition government by harassing Somalis and demanding bribes from those who have Kenyan IDs,” said Duale.

Police have, however, denied extortion claims and cautioned politicians against making wild claims.

Duale, who is also the chairman of 32 Senators and National Assembly members from North Eastern region, said they had agreed to work closely with the national security agencies to flush out all undesirable elements and extremists in Eastleigh and elsewhere.