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Kenya: Ruto and I Fell Out With Odinga Because of Deceit During GNU Govt – Duale


Nairobi — Defense Cabinet Secretary Duale has cited deceit as the greatest undoing for Azimio leader Raila Odinga terming his betrayal of close confidants in the past as political treason.

Duale, first elected into Parliament on an ODM ticket, said Wednesday Odinga had betrayed his lieutenants countless times leading to the departure of key figures including President William Ruto who once served in the party’s summit — The Pentagon.

He cited their twin dismissal from the President Mwai Kibaki-led Government of National Unity (GNU) as a move engineered by Odinga who recommended them for appointment following a power-sharing deal that saw the ODM leader control half the Cabinet as Prime Minister.

“I was a loyalist of Baba (Raila). Baba inducted me into the school of politics. We campaigned for Raila Odinga mainly in the Muslim areas I was his chief campaigner in the Northern region; both in terms of the numbers, and resources, and that is where the politics of deceit started,” Duale said.

“It is Raila who fired Ruto. William Ruto and I were fired on the same day. It was around three o’clock. I was in my office and the screens showed the following have been sacked as ministers,” he said.

Betrayal in Cabinet

Duale who served as an Assistant Minister for Agriculture under Ruto (Minister) said Odinga fired them from the job despite having reneged on a promise to make him (Duale) Defence Minister.

“When the cabinet of the grand coalition was formed, Raila Odinga looked at me in the eyes and said Kibaki has appointed another candidate (Yusuf Haji) to be the Minister for Defence so we can’t have two of you from the same county, the same district then.”