2027 polls will end politics of marginalisation, tribalism

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Health CS Aden Duale has declared that the 2027 General Election will mark the end of what he termed the politics of marginalisation, tribalism and ethnic division in Kenya.

Duale said President William Ruto’s administration was committed to ensuring equitable distribution of development and opportunities across the country, regardless of ethnicity, religion or region.

Speaking in Garissa town during a fundraising ceremony for the Maryama Binti Imran and Rahul Kumar Islamic centers, where he was the chief guest, Duale said Kenyans should reject politicians who continue to exploit ethnic differences for political gain.

“The election of 2027 is going to end the politics of marginalization. Those who are used to marginalizing other communities, religions and regions must understand that under the leadership of President William Ruto, the next General Election will end the politics of marginalization, whether they like it or not,” Duale said.

The CS, who is the senior-most leader from the Somali community serving in President Ruto’s administration, accused opposition leaders of deliberately dividing Kenyans along tribal lines to advance what he described as selfish political interests.

He said the 2027 election would also usher in a new era in which politics of hatred, tribalism, division and ethnic chest-thumping would have no place.

“We are telling you that in this coming election, tribalism will come to an end. The politics of hatred, tribalism, division and chest-thumping will end in 2027,” he said.

Duale criticised what he described as a longstanding political arrangement in which certain communities have dominated the presidency or deputy presidency since independence.

“We know there are communities in Kenya that, since independence, when they do not get the presidency, they get the deputy presidency, and when they do not get the deputy, they have the president,” he said.

According to Duale, President Ruto’s commitment to treating all Kenyans equally was among the reasons his administration had faced opposition from political detractors.

“The only crime President William Ruto has committed is saying that all Kenyans, irrespective of their tribe, religion or background, will be treated the same and that development will be evenly distributed across the country,” he said.

He cited housing, road infrastructure, electricity connectivity, healthcare and employment of teachers as some of the areas where he said the government was pursuing an equitable development agenda.

Duale also highlighted the government’s efforts to address the shortage of teachers, saying the country had inherited a deficit of about 120,000 teachers.

“We had a shortage of 120,000 teachers in this country under the late President Mwai Kibaki and former President Uhuru Kenyatta. But when President Ruto came, he has so far employed 116,000 teachers,” he said.

The CS used the occasion to call on residents of the region to prepare to participate fully in the 2027 General Election, saying voter numbers would be critical in determining their political influence.

He urged those who had not acquired national identity cards to do so, saying the government had removed previous barriers that made the process difficult for residents in the region.

“Let us acquire identity cards. The hurdles that were there before are no longer there. The President has removed all the vetting that was there and right now acquiring an ID card is very simple,” Duale said.

He described the national identity card and voter registration as important tools for citizens aged 18 and above to exercise their democratic rights.

Duale further called on government officers responsible for registration to facilitate residents and ensure that no eligible Kenyan was left out.