NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 24 — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended remarks that sparked a national backlash and prompted an investigation by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), insisting his comments were taken out of context and deliberately misrepresented to portray him as promoting ethnic division.

📻 Breaking It Down

In a statement issued Friday, Duale said he had been “widely misquoted” following remarks he made during a public event in Lafey Constituency, Mandera County, arguing that a Somali proverb at the centre of the controversy had been misconstrued.

“I have been widely misquoted and my remarks delivered in Lafey Constituency have been taken out of context to advance false and misleading narratives,” Duale said.

The Cabinet Secretary explained that the phrase, “Waraabe la-tagis bartay, ka-ridis waa ku dhib,” is a longstanding Somali proverb used figuratively to describe the difficulty of abandoning entrenched habits or long-enjoyed advantages.

📌 What You Need to Know

“It was never directed at any community or intended to demean anyone,” he said.

According to Duale, his speech focused on inclusivity and the government’s efforts to ensure that all Kenyans, regardless of ethnicity or region, have equal opportunities to serve the country.

“My message was about the importance of embracing inclusivity as the Government continues to ensure that all Kenyans, regardless of their region or ethnicity, have an opportunity to serve the nation,” he said.

He accused critics of deliberately distorting his remarks, dismissing claims that they amounted to ethnic incitement.

“Attempts to portray my remarks as ethnic incitement are therefore dishonest and a deliberate distortion of what I said,” he stated.

Duale also faulted what he termed “selective outrage,” saying some of those condemning him had remained silent when, according to him, inflammatory remarks targeting the Somali community had previously been made.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya