Gachagua to Duale: You don't own pastoralists

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Democracy for Citizen Party (DCP) Leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale of allegedly doing nothing for pastoralist communities in the country.

Mr Gachagua said Duale, while being the only CS from northern Kenya and claiming to be the spokesperson of the group, had instead been a liability to pastoralists.

“You, the Borana who are here, along with the Turkana and Somali, are all complaining like other Kenyans. You suffer from runaway insecurity and widespread underdevelopment. We must join hands to vote out this rogue government (in next year's general election),” the former Deputy President told a delegation of grassroots leaders and residents from Isiolo and Marsabit who paid him a courtesy call at his Wamunyoro rural home in Nyeri.

“Duale thinks that the pastoralists are his property, his children or servants. What has he done for the people of Isiolo and Marsabit? (He has) only rhetoric, shouting pastoralists everywhere, every day,” he said.

Gachagua questioned how Duale would be able to marshal ‘millions’ of votes for President Ruto in the 2027 General Elections while he (Duale) could only raise 7,000 votes for the UDA presidential candidate in the 2022 polls in his Garissa Township Constituency backyard.

Despite his little contribution to the Kenya Kwanza administration's victory, Gachagua said Duale was appointed as the only CS from northern Kenya but had ended up doing nothing for the region and pastoralist communities.

“He only gave him (Ruto) 7,000 votes in Garissa Township. It's Central Kenya that propelled this government,” Gachagua told the gathering.

“Duale was appointed CS and he has nothing to show apart from empty words, going round shouting (the name of) pastoralists, and you (the pastoralists) are suffering. If you love them, then why are their livestock stolen every day?” He asked the CS.

“These pastoralists are killed every day and their cows and goats stolen. What have you done for them and you are in the government?” Gachagua posed. 

The Opposition leader claimed that the government was ill-prepared for the heavily forecasted El Niño rainfall, pointing out that those living in flood-prone areas like the Tana Delta and Garissa are exposed to danger.

“Now, going into El Niño, what plan has been put in place to save people from death as a result of floods and how livestock will survive?” he asked the State.

During the event, Gachagua revealed that Yusuf Huka Jillo from Isiolo would represent Upper Eastern at the DCP secretariat and serve as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in an acting capacity.

Gachagua said the mountain was now complete, with Isiolo and Marsabit forming Mt Kenya North.

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The locals alleged that the Health CS was interfering in Isiolo County politics, with elder Hussein Jama claiming that Duale and the Office of the DCI were shielding a section of leaders accused of corruption and criminal activities.

Speakers claimed that there was massive corruption at the local lands registry office, while Mr Jillo faulted the State for the slow pace of registration of community land in Isiolo.

Jama said Isiolo International Airport, which was constructed during the administration of President Kibaki to help in the export of miraa and horticultural goods from the Mt Kenya region and livestock products, mainly meat and hides, lies idle because the expansion of the runway from 1.5 metres to 3 metres had not been done.

In response, Gachagua said the airport was meant to create employment and wealth, but the Kenya Kwanza administration had instead left it in ruin deliberately, claiming the move was aimed at sabotaging the economy of Mt Kenya and pastoralists’ economies.

“What was the good about destroying the Imenti forest to construct an airstrip for an individual while there is an international airport meant partly to serve the entire region just a few kilometres from Meru town?” Asked the DCP leader.