Tourism CS Najib Balala has apologised for his go-to-hell rant over rhino deaths.
Appearing before a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, the Cabinet Secretary stated that he regretted dragging President Uhuru Kenyatta's name into his emotional remarks.
“I regret I did that outburst, it was out of pain that I am being let down by my system. I do regret dragging the president’s name,” he stated during the hearing.
VIDEO: CS Balala apologises to Kenyans for his 'go-to-hell' rant over rhino deaths pic.twitter.com/hPFzG7JZWN
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) July 31, 2018
His apology comes a day after he lashed out at a section of Kenyans calling for his resignation over the death of 10 rhinos at Tsavo East National Park.
Speaking during a press conference in Mombasa, Balala affirmed that he would not resign as the only person who had the power to remove him from office was the President.
"Those calling for my resignations are just sideshows. I don't want to talk about rhinos now but I want to tell them to go to hell. Only Uhuru has the authority of appointing and firing me. I can only tell them [sic] they can go to hell.
"No one is going to intimidate me as the president who appointed me knows I have the capacity to run the Ministry," he asserted.
He added that there was a group of individuals who were determined to dismantle the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for personal gain.
"This is an agenda they have to destroy the KWS so that they can be able to take over these parks and start using emotions of international people to raise funds for their exclusive lifestyle that is not accountable in this country but I am going to stop it once and for all," he asserted.
CS Balala, who last week suspended six KWS officials, has been on the receiving end as a section of Kenyans demanded he takes personal responsibility for the deaths of 10 black rhinos in a botched translocation process.
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His remarks caused an uproar on social media with many calling for his resignation,
"So Najib Balala thinks that he is only accountable to President Uhuru and not to Kenyans? Because his salary is paid using Uhuru's savings or his ministry is under Brookside Dairies?" one user stated.
"No! CS Najib Balala, I have a lot of respect for you. But with all due respect, however much you consider some Kenyans or groups misguided, you by virtue of that position should NOT tell them "to go to hell"!. The President appoints you on behalf of the Kenyan people!" Prof. Ole Kiyiapi added.
[caption caption="CS Balala addressing a press conference on 30/7/2018"]
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