The rise and rise of Aden Duale

[Haatu]

 

Thursday, July 18, 2013

 

He carved his niche in firebrand politics by criticising former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s every move, and barely four months ago was your typical — but rather loud — backbencher. But today Garissa Township MP Aden Duale is the senior-most legislator in the National Assembly and has a direct line to State House, thanks to his role of Majority Leader.

 

As a result of that simple fact, Duale now enjoys trappings of power equivalent to that of a Cabinet Secretary, complete with enhanced security detail.

 

Both inside and outside Parliament, he is loved and hated in equal measure. His enthusiastic defence of the Jubilee government in the House has endeared him to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto, but also rubbed Cord MPs and a section of the public the wrong way as they see him as a latter-day Government hawk.

 

Knowing he is not loved across the board, Duale has attempted to defend himself, saying his duties are to push Government agenda in the House.

 

“Any government agenda brought to the floor of the House so far has sailed through,” he told the Nation.

 

And he has choice epithets for Mr Odinga, whom he says orchestrated his own downfall. “I knew Raila had lost the elections the moment he lost the Ruto-led brigade,” he chimes.

Even with the bile flowing, Duale still describes Raila as an astute politician who has been part of history-making in the country.

 

“He has made friends throughout the country,” he says. “He should now use his connections to serve our continent... he should be in the forefront advocating for peace in Somalia, Sudan and even Egypt.”

 

Defending the charge that he is dictatorial — made by some Jubilee MPs — Duale says: “I have 216 Jubilee MPs that I have to ensure speak with one voice, I must be tough for that to be achieved.”

 

A man who does not shy away from ostentation, Duale will do anything to prove he has unfettered access to State House.

 

“I often get calls from the President, just to tell me how grateful he is to me. He always tells me: Mheshimiwa Duale, shikilia hapo kabisa (Hon Duale, be strong on your side). He even calls to wish me a good night. I feel I am indeed part of the government.”

 

Marshalling parliamentary approval of presidential nominees has been his greatest challenge, but the biggest test was that of ensuring the nominee for the post of Solicitor General Njee Muturi sailed through.

 

“I came up with a tactic where I continuously spoke on the floor of the House as I waited for Jubilee members to file in,” he says of his strategy.

 

“As I did that, some MPs started accusing me of being out of order, but I knew what I saw doing. When I got sure Jubilee members were more than Cord’s in the House, I sat down.”

 

The stakes were so high that the President had to call him in the middle of the debate, probably because the nominee, Mr Muturi, is a long-time friend of Uhuru’s.

 

“The tension made me retreat to the back to receive a call from the President, who asked me whether all was well and if the name was going through,” remembers the fiery politician. “I assured him all was well.”

 

Duale says the appointment of 28 departmental committees also proved a mighty challenge for him.

 

“I had to hatch a plan where Jubilee chaired all of (the committees). There were instances where up to four Jubilee members fought over chairmanship of one committee, and I had to ensure not a single one went to Cord,” he says, adding that his connections in ODM have helped him woo members to pass government agenda.

 

So hard has this man fought for the presidency that he now has little time to visit his constituency.

 

“I have told the president to take care of my constituents by putting up roads, electricity and increase security as I defend his agenda in the House,” he wraps it up.

 

http://www.nation.co.ke/Features/DN2/The-rise-and-rise-of-Aden-Duale/-/957860/1918078/-/5mm59o/-/index.html

[Haatu]

Uncle Ducaale has done so well for himself, so much so that even the President gives him a personal good night on top of being the Majority Leader. He must be so proud of his achievements. *Clap* *Clap* *Clap*

 

What about his constituents I hear you say? Oh don't worry about them. Uncle Ducaale is far to busy to see to their needs but he's told the Big President to look after them on his behalf. I'm sure they'll be fine.

[Saalax]

Lol sounds like a uncle tom.

[Haatu]

Oh, and about those silly romours you here that he won the recently elections unfairly, lies, all lies. It was through cunning and sheer amazingness that Uncle Ducaale managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, not cheating.

[Wadani]

Saalax;969399 wrote:

Lol sounds like a uncle tom.

My thoughts exaclty. 'I feel like i'm part of the government' kulahaa lool. Ninkan halkee lagu soo gumaysan jiray. Ma sidan ayay reer NFD u bah-dilanyihiin?

[Mad_Mullah]

Somalis are a part of Kenyan society. With the Minister of Defense being of the OG (previous government). The civilized Kenyans managed to split power amongst different religions/ethnicities to maintain peace and security.

 

They have a harder time because there's not much you can do in the North with all the HAG refugees and Shabab threats. Maybe if Garissa was on the sea...

[Haatu]

Wadani & Co., please stay on topic. This thread is for highlighting the achievements of Uncle Ducaale.

 

(PS: What do you mean bahdil? Isn't that their land and country and have a right to be included? Mise they should all grow dreadlocks, wield AKs and do exotic dances in the bush lol )

[Cambuulo iyo bun]

Mad_Mullah;969403 wrote:

Somalis are a part of Kenyan society. With the Minister of Defense being of the OG (previous government). The civilized Kenyans managed to split power amongst different religions/ethnicities to maintain peace and security.

 

They have a harder time because there's not much you can do in the North

with all the HAG refugees

and Shabab threats. Maybe if Garissa was on the sea...

 

[Wadani]

Haatu;969404 wrote:

Wadani & Co., please stay on topic. This thread is for highlighting the achievements of Uncle Ducaale.

 

(PS: What do you mean bahdil? Isn't that their land and country and have a right to be included? Mise they should all grow dreadlocks, wield AKs and do exotic dances in the bush lol

)

No, but he shouldn't say things like 'I feel like a part of this government', as if the Bantu's are being benevolent to him and giving him a piece of something he has not inherent right to.

[Mad_Mullah]

Haatu;969404 wrote:

Wadani & Co., please stay on topic. This thread is for highlighting the achievements of Uncle Ducaale.

 

(PS: What do you mean bahdil? Isn't that their land and country and have a right to be included? Mise they should all grow dreadlocks, wield AKs and do exotic dances in the bush lol

)

Don't disrespect the ONLF.

 

There's a big difference between a country that makes a Somali Minister of Defense and where Somalis can open up shop and live in peace and a dictatorship where the entire government is made of Tigray (not even Amhara who are bigger or Oromo who are the majority!)

 

ONLF are the only Somali Mujahiden.

[Mad_Mullah]

Wadani;969409 wrote:

No, but he shouldn't say things like 'I feel like a part of this government', as if the Bantu's are being benevolent to him and giving him a piece of something he has not inherent right to.

You make a good point. I have no idea why he would say such a thing.

[Haatu]

Mad Mullah, far from it.

 

Wadani, you see that's the whole point of this thread. Uncle Ducaale was never the brightest bulb in Garissa and this thread just proves it lol

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

He is a proud Somali Kenyan what he said might be inappropriate but still he is a Proud Kenyan and that is what matters

[Haatu]

Xaaji Xunjuf;969426 wrote:

He is a proud Somali Kenyan what he said might be inappropriate but still he is a Proud Kenyan and that is what matters

Adna markii geela loo heesa goroyo baad u heestaa (or something like that). You've completely missed the whole point Xaaji.

[nuune]

He spent $48 thousand dollars on a useless MBA course, at least he could have given schollarships to 20 students for that amount, he used the money he was given to dig up a Well for a useless MBA, try again, Mr Duaale, I know you personally and what you have done or not.

 

But he is not alone on milking the system(though he did it in a fashion way), we have Afey, Dawaara, Yusuf Haji and others who did and destroyed huge amount of money that was for projects in the NEP, the government in Kenya allocated a budget for NEP, but the money goes to underground, as well already knew!