Duale's response to claims he doesn't behave like a Defence CS

Defence Cabinet Secretary nominee Aden Duale responded to accusations that he is too vocal and sensational to serve at the Defence Headquaters.

The claims were made by Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi, during Duale’s vetting by the National Assembly Committee of Appointments on Monday, October 17, 2022.

Amisi accused the outgoing Garissa MP of making sensational statements in public and expressed fear that Duale portrayed risks of accidentally revealing classified information as Defence CS.

Aden Duale appears before the National Assembly Committee of Appointments on Monday, October 17, 2022. Pulse Live Kenya

Duale explained that his public demeanour and character suit the role of an MP and leader of the Majority in the National Assembly.

He added that if approved, he would change his disposition to that expected of a Defence CS.

“When I become the minister for defence, if this house approves me, I will speak the way a defence minister is supposed to speak. If the president later changed me to the minister for sports, I will speak how they are supposed to speak.

“Don’t worry about my demeanour, I am sure since I was nominated, I have started behaving like a minister for Defence,” he said.

Duale also revealed that he was worth Sh851 million and had an annual rental income of Sh10 million.

During the vetting explained his plans to review the arrangement in which the Kenya Defence Forces exercises control over the Kenya Meat Commission.

He told the MPs that if approved, he would recall military officers seconded to various civilian institutions.

Aden Duale appears before the National Assembly Committee of Appointments on Monday, October 17, 2022. Pulse Live Kenya

“You cannot just wake up one morning and remove a general from the barracks, if that is not checked, you will find a general has become the clerk of the National Assembly, of the registrar of the Judiciary becoming a general or colonel,” he said.

Duale also responded to the tweets by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who claimed he could capture Nairobi in two weeks.

The CS nominee dismissed the tweets, saying that KDF was not bothered by social media sentiments, adding that Kenyans on Twitter dealt with the son of President Yoweri Museveni.