'It is irresponsible and reckless!' CS Duale slams Raila over secession calls

Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has poured cold water on opposition leader Raila Odinga’s call for secession of the country.

CS Duale told off Mr. Odinga and his fellow Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka over the sentiments which they made during a meeting in Yatta, Machakos County, on Friday.

The Azimio leaders said they would call for the dividing of the country into two and have it governed separately.

Speaking during the launch of Masalani municipality in Garissa County on Saturday, the CS termed these utterances as reckless and idle talk.

“I want to tell Raila and Kalonzo, you went to the elections to aspire to be the next President of the Republic of Kenya; it is very irresponsible and reckless for leaders of your stature to stand at a podium and call for the secession and division of our country. It is very unfortunate; I did not know you can go that low," Duale said.

He went on to cite the mock swearing-in of Mr. Odinga as the ‘People’s President' in the aftermath of the 2017 elections, claiming it was another stab at dividing the country.

Duale went on to call out former President Uhuru Kenyatta for what he termed as falling into Mr. Odinga’s scheme at the time, by entering into the ‘handshake’ pact with him.

The Defence CS however cautioned the former premier of dire consequences if he goes the same route in an attempt to destabilize the President William Ruto government.

He claimed the opposition leader has made it a habit of blackmailing the government of the day in order to be incorporated through the back door.

“Kwa sababu hivi ndio alisema in 2017 alipojiapisha…Uhuru naye alishtuka akampea handshake,” he said.

“Alisema mambo ya unga, ya IEBC servers, mara anataka hii, mara ile… sasa ameona imekuwa ngumu kwa sababu mimi na William Ruto tunamjua sana.”

Duale instead called on the opposition leader to respect the Constitution, noting that the Kenya Kwanza administration will not be intimidated by the opposition’s incessant demands.

“Sasa anafikiri anaweza kututisha ya kwamba ati Kenya igawanywe…Mr Odinga, please go back to the preamble of the Constitution,” he urged.