My 45-minute talk with Uhuru cost me my Majority Leader job

**Garissa Township MP Aden Duale attending UDA's National Delegates Conference, on Tuesday, March 15** [The Standard]

Garissa Township MP Aden Duale says President Uhuru Kenyatta warned him against his close ties with Deputy President William Ruto before his removal as the National Assembly Majority Leader in June 2020.

At the time, Duale said some of Ruto's allies such as Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and his Nakuru counterpart Susan Kihika had been relieved of their Senate Majority Leader and Majority Whip positions respectively.

“We had a 45-minute talk, man to man. For the first time, the president told me that there was something called split loyalty… He said I had delivered in my role [as the Majority Leader] well, but the problem was that I was Ruto’s friend,” Duale said in his speech at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, where UDA held its National Delegates Conference today.

The lawmaker said he told the president he would not betray his friend Ruto, even if it meant losing his role in the National Assembly as the Majority Leader.

“Being a Muslim, I told the president that I won’t be involved in politics of deceit, betrayal and backstabbing,” said Duale.

The legislator said his stance led to his removal from the lucrative parliamentary post on June 22, 2020. He was, subsequently, replaced by Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya.

Duale accused President Kenyatta of mistreating his deputy Ruto. The MP said the president went to the extent of sending the DP’s juniors, including Cabinet secretaries, to insult and undermine Ruto.

[Should you (Ruto) be elected President on August 9], I’m urging you not to allow brokers, drunkards and thugs to undermine the office of your would-be deputy,” said Duale.

The Garissa Township MP served as Kenya’s first Majority Leader under the 2010 Constitution. He held the position for seven years, between 2013 and 2020.