Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale embodies a rare political staying power defined by a tongue of steel.
As the National Assembly Majority Leader in 2013, he said he could take a bullet for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
The then Garissa Township lawmaker even doubled down on his symbolism, saying he would jump from the top of KICC if ordered by his party bosses. In 2015 at a rally in Narok, he clashed with Governor Isaac Ruto and told the 47 county chiefs that public funds weren’t personal treasure chests for the elites. “Hii pesa sio ya mama yako bwana (public funds don’t belong to your family),” he charged.
For him, truth must always be unfiltered, you either take it or leave it! Those who’ve been around long enough will tell you that for seven straight years (March 2013 to June 2020), Mr Duale ran the National Assembly as a disciplined engine of the Jubilee administration.
He drove the Executive’s agenda with precision, much to the frustration of CORD and later NASA. He steered through 1,622 pieces of legislation. Even after losing the Majority Leader slot ahead of the 2022 elections for standing with Dr Ruto while President Kenyatta backed enigma Raila Odinga’s presidential bid, Mr Duale didn’t blink.
He became Dr Ruto’s brother-in-arms, and to date, consistency has defined him. He commits early, defends loudly and executes relentlessly. Philosopher Kropotkin would say that the Health CS is a message carrier who doesn’t dilute instructions, a defender who doesn’t flinch under pressure, and an operator who turns political loyalty into institutional action.
No wonder Dr Ruto trusts him to handle the toughest tasks. When cartels were bleeding the Health sector, the CS pulled a Magufuli on them. At least, things are looking up at the Social Health Authority (SHA).
For a man who converts challenges into opportunities, he can’t be ignored in the 2032 post-Ruto arithmetic. In the Kenya Kwanza administration, Mr Duale fits the description of South African politician Walter Sisulu, who was one of Nelson Mandela’s closest comrades for decades, helping guide the anti-apartheid movement and supporting Madiba through imprisonment.
The CS is Dr Ruto’s third eye like Mr Sisilu was in ANC. From the margins of North Eastern Kenya to the centre of State power, the man has equally dexterously navigated identity politics. His survival isn’t accidental. It’s built on adaptability anchored in loyalty.
Meanwhile, Mr Duale takes no prisoners. Kitutu Chache South MP Antony Kibagendi felt the full force of his political artillery last year during an altercation in Bunge over profiteers of illegal health insurance claims. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has equally had the CS to contend on many occasions.
On Tuesday, however, Mr Duale sat pensively in the dock at the Milimani High Court facing contempt proceedings. His remorse and plea with the court for forgiveness over the controversial construction of an Ebola treatment facility in Laikipia County caught the nation’s attention.
His total submission to the law became an instant reminder that strong leadership isn’t about insisting on your decisions, but knowing when to yield. In Kenya, State officers often loath the courts.
When Dr Fred Matiang’i was the Interior minister, he disobeyed many court orders, including two touching on the controversial deportation of Mr Miguna Miguna and the tyrannical switching off of TV stations.
Mr Duale has proved that the law isn’t just for the meek, but for every citizen, including the big fish. His court apology has cemented his political longevity and set a new bar for the Executive.
Like his mentor Odinga, the Health Cabinet Secretary’s political flair is a subject of interest for political scholars now and even after the man will be long gone.
The Greek will tell you that wise leaders and rulers succeed because they fully understand public mood, have mastered the art of political comradeship and consistently respect the laws of the land. Mr Duale’s Ebola court apology on Tuesday lends credence to this philosophy.
-The writer is a communications practitioner.
