In an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday night, Duale defended the government’s record, claiming that enforced disappearances were much worse under previous leadership.
Aden Duale, the Environment Cabinet Secretary, has minimized criticism of President William Ruto’s administration for increased incidences of abductions and extrajudicial murders, instead blaming the previous regime.
“In the last administration, thousands and thousands of people died. Take a camera, walk-in Garissa, Mombasa, Mandera any citynand ask those who lost their loved ones during the last administration to come out. They would fill Uhuru Park,” he claimed.
Duale stressed that President Ruto does not condone abductions and that the government is dedicated to resolving the matter.
“It’s unacceptable, both as a government and under the Constitution. President Ruto and we don’t believe in abductions,” he said.
He went on to say that security services proven to be complicit in enforced disappearances are not acting on behalf of the government.
“If there is anybody within the security agency that is part and parcel of abducting, that is not the position of the President.”
The CS also noted that the Ruto administration had made extrajudicial executions a central issue in its agenda.
“We are the only administration that put the issue of extrajudicial killings in our manifesto; it is something the government has been working on,” he added.
His comments come as Public Service CS Justin Muturi continues to criticize the government’s handling of the escalating insecurity problem.
Muturi, a former attorney general, has warned that the continued abductions and killings are harming the country’s prestige and urged President Ruto to act decisively.
Allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have since denounced Duale and other UDA lawmakers for demanding Muturi’s resignation.They accused Duale of hitting a colleague who had spoken out against the government’s failure to combat kidnappings and disappearances.
Speaking at a different gathering in Garissa County, Duale insisted that Cabinet members respect their appointing authority.
He said that any CS who disagreed with the administration should quit rather than publicly criticize it.
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