Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Sunday hailed President William Ruto for transformative initiatives benefiting the North Eastern region and the broader Muslim community, asserting that the people “will pay back” through the ballot in the 2027 elections.
Speaking in Wajir town during the historic coronation of Sultan Abdirahman Sultan Hussein, where he was the chief guest, Duale applauded the President for a landmark policy that has eased access to national identification documents for residents of Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, and other counties.
For decades, communities in Kenya’s border regions had to contend with bureaucratic impediments, discrimination, and unnecessary vetting before accessing essential documents, which often left them feeling like second-class citizens. In February, President Ruto signed an executive order scrapping the vetting requirements, restoring dignity and fairness, a move Duale described as restoring dignity and fairness.
“Mr. President, your administration is the first one that has listened to the cries of our people and acted decisively. You brought back our dignity to the people of North Eastern Kenya, the wider Muslim community, and all Kenyans by ending a discriminatory system that made us feel like second-class citizens,” Duale said.
The CS urged residents to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise by the IEBC, emphasizing that higher registration rates will strengthen the region’s influence in national politics.
“It is for this reason that we are telling our people to register en masse so that we can pay back for the dignity you brought back to our communities as Muslims and as the Somali community,” he added.
Duale also addressed critics of the Ruto administration, underscoring that the government remains committed to transforming Kenya from a third-world to a first-world nation. He highlighted ongoing projects in infrastructure, affordable housing, agriculture, job creation, Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and the new education model as tangible steps improving Kenyans’ lives.
“Those opposing the president are doing so for the sake of it. They don’t have an agenda or manifesto. Kenyans, however, have decided to stand with President Ruto’s government, which means well for them,” he said.
Finally, Duale encouraged residents who have not yet registered under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) to do so, stressing that UHC is both a moral duty and a strategic investment in Kenya’s future.
Through these initiatives, Duale said, the Ruto administration was not only restoring dignity to marginalized communities but also giving them a stake in shaping Kenya’s political and developmental future.
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