Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has dismissed Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s presidential ambitions while challenging former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s claims about his role in President William Ruto’s 2022 election victory.
Speaking at Yare area in Samburu County during the ongoing three-day Maralal International Camel Derby, Duale questioned Sifuna’s experience to lead the country as political alignments ahead of the 2027 General Election continue to take shape.
The CS argued that the Nairobi senator lacked the experience required to ascend to the presidency, directing his criticism at the opposition as leaders intensify their campaigns and public engagements ahead of the next election.
Duale also took aim at Gachagua over his claims that he played a significant role in Ruto’s victory in the 2022 General Election. The former deputy president has increasingly positioned himself as a critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration following his removal from office in October 2024.
Duale’s remarks come amid growing political exchanges between government allies and opposition figures, with leaders seeking to consolidate support in different regions ahead of the 2027 polls.
Accompanied by Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit, Duale predicted that the next General Election would mark a departure from ethnic politics, marginalisation and discrimination.
He said the country’s political future should be shaped by national unity and equal opportunities for communities, rather than ethnic considerations that have historically influenced electoral competition.
The CS’s remarks came as the government continues to defend its development record and appeal for support across the country, while opposition leaders question its policies and performance.
Governor Lelelit, meanwhile, highlighted development projects being implemented by the Ruto administration in Samburu County, arguing that the government’s four-year record had surpassed that of previous administrations.
The governor pointed to the administration’s development agenda as evidence of its commitment to improving the lives of residents, although specific project details and comparative figures were not provided in the statement.
The Maralal International Camel Derby, which attracts participants and visitors to Samburu, is also an opportunity for leaders to engage residents on development and national politics.
Duale’s comments add to the increasingly sharp exchanges surrounding the 2027 General Election, with Sifuna and Gachagua emerging as prominent targets of criticism from government allies as political competition gathers momentum.
