Defense Cabinet Secretary nominee Aden Duale, appeared before the Committee on Appointment right after Attorney General nominee Justin Muturi was vetted.
He revealed that his net worth was Sh851 million which consisted of the cattle and camels he owned.
“I am worth Sh851 Million, including the goats, sheep and camels that I own. I even had to go and value my 231 camels somewhere in Kitui county which brings the total of Sh851 milllion. My current source of income annually is about Sh10 million,” observed Duale.
During the vetting, he observed that it was wrong to take the security personnel from the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) to civilian authorities conferring examples from previous regimes.
“It was wrong to bring in KDF to run civilian facilities. If that is not checked, you will find a general becoming the clerk of the National Assembly. Let everyone remain in the place the Constitution envisaged,” he stated.
Duale said that he would not stand in to witness the men and women who protect life and property of Kenya being butchered like rats and protect the human rights of Kenyans from terrorist attacks owing to his conflicting remarks and positions in the past, especially during the Al-shabaab terrorist attack on Garissa University.
“I am not that reckless to make attributes that discriminate any Kenyan. I have served in different capacities and I’m ready to work, protect and defend the people of Kenya,” stated Duale.
He committed to protect Kenyan boarders at all levels referring to Idi Amin sentiments over the Kenyan territory (Migingo Island) as part of Uganda which has left the two neighbouring nations in an ownership struggle.
“The core mandate of the KDF is to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic of Kenya. KDF will at all times protect our nation from any external aggression. On Migingo Island, there is already a government boundary committee which was set up, it is yet to give its final report,” said Duale.
The Garissa Township Member of Parliament vowed to always stand by his allegiance and protect Kenyans who he terms to be his employers.
“Somalis wherever they are, the citizenship they belong is where they are loyal to. I am not the first Somali to hold the defence portfolio or a serious police docet. There is a narrative and a perception about Somalis in this country. Somalis have a congress woman in the US, a minister of housing in Canada”
Duale confirmed to be aware of the task ahead of him affirming to boldly speak his mind based on his position.
“If people who are recruited with fake certificates are found in the middle of a training session, they should be handed over to EACC,” Duale insisted.
Duale served as the Majority Leader of the National Assembly under Jubilee Party in the 11th Parliament from 2013 to 2017 and in the 12th Parliament.
From 2017 to 2020 he was ousted for perceived disloyalty to President emeritus Uhuru Kenyatta due to his closeness with President William Ruto.
Their friendship dated as far back as 2007 when he first joined politics and were both elected on an ODM party ticket, moved to United Republican Party (URP) in 2011 before joining Jubilee and subsequently United Democratic Alliance (UDA).