Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Saturday December 30 announced retirement from politics.
Duale in 2019 said he would step down from Kenya’s ever-changing political arena in the event President William Ruto was elected and assumed office.
The former National Assembly Majority Leader said then that he could even serve as a clerk in State House if Ruto won in 2022.
“If I have people whom I have respect for and I could work with it’s Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto. But my candidate for 2022 is William Ruto and I even said it and I don’t know why you are not quoting me that when Ruto becomes president I will retire from politics. If he becomes the president I can even serve as a clerk in State House,” said Duale in 2019.
Honoring his word, Duale said in a statement he will not return to politics since Ruto is now the Head of State.
“I at one time said I will quit politics when William Ruto becomes president. He has made my life easy. When he became president he removed me from parliament and made me the Minister for Defence and I am a good Muslim so I am not going back to politics. I have retired.
“I have said in public that I will retire when Ruto becomes president. He has become president and I cannot put a reverse gear,” Duale stated.
He was first elected as the Garissa Township MP under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in 2007 but left the party in 2009 to form the United Republican Party (URP) alongside President Ruto.
Duale was re-elected in the 2013 general elections under URP and in 2017 under the Jubilee Party.
During the 2022 general elections, Duale was again elected as the Garissa Town MP under the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party but resigned a month later after being appointed as the Defence Cabinet Secretary.
Also Read: Duale’s Message To Mutahi Ngunyi After Dumping Uhuru For Ruto
