Aden Duale: Why I Believe Ruto Will Betray Me

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Garissa Town MP Aden Duale (left) and Deputy President William Ruto (right)
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Garissa Town MP Aden Duale has laid bare a series of intricate conversations between him, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto. 

Duale admitted that he had been a sycophant for the duo but noted that the last three years had given him character development to know the reality of betrayal in politics. 

The MP noted that he had blindly believed in the UhuRuto agenda but was now a cautious politician - noting that he now believes that even the DP, whose presidential bid he supports would also betray him eventually - just like all the other politicians who have double-crossed their allies. 

Garissa Township Member of Parliament Aden Duale.
Garissa Township Member of Parliament Aden Duale.
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The former National Assembly Majority leader wrote for the Nation on Sunday, September 26, comparing how President Uhuru Kenyatta betrayed Ruto and his confidants. 

“Do not trust anyone in politics. Do not trust the journey he walks with you. Do not trust where he places you. Politics in Kenya is synonymous with betrayal, deceit, humiliation, backstabbing, and throwing people under the bus. 

“At any time, if a politician, tells you to close your eyes so he can pray for you, keep one eye open. Raila betrayed Ruto in 2007 and Uhuru betrayed Ruto between 2018 and 2022. I have seen it all, so the only thing remaining for me is to see if William Ruto will betray me. But I think if we will keep playing politics, he will betray me and that’s the truth,” Duale stated. 

He added that he often questions Ruto’s motive and end goal, despite supporting the DP's 2022 presidential campaign. 

“Every day when sitting with him, I tell him, “My friend when you go to State House, I do not think you will be different from Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. You will also betray me,” Duale wrote. 

The MP further confessed that the first time they felt Uhuru would betray Ruto after the 2017 General Election. 

However, the election was shortly nullified and Uhuru quickly changed his attitude. They, being staunch followers of the President, assumed away the red flags they had spotted for a few days. 

One of the signs was Uhuru failing to call him on a daily basis like they used to before. Duale disclosed that the Head of State and his deputy always sought his advice even in the wee hours of the night. 

He detailed that they sacrificed for Uhuru even when he reportedly coerced them to support agendas they knew would hurt Kenyans. 

The fuel hike, Duale confessed, was one of the conditions the International Monetary Fund (IMF) piled on Uhuru before agreeing to loan Kenya a Ksh255 billion loan. Duale’s role, he argued, was to only present the bill in Parliament and rally legislators to vote for it. 

“Ruto and I regret a lot of things. There are many things we did out of loyalty to the President but which we did not believe in. The DP and I were, for instance, were forced to defend Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru because of loyalty. 

“We were forced to even defend this government from the Health Ministry scandals and to defend the Eurobond fraud and the SGR. I even fought Jimi Wanjigi over the SGR! Now I regret,” he admitted. 

Duale further confessed that his tenure as Majority Leader in the National Assembly included suppressing civil rights, and worsening the cost of living in the country. 

His fallout with Uhuru, he detailed, came about after the MP declined to support the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

Duale stated that he spoke with Uhuru for 45 minutes face to face but, “I categorically told him that I will not support it, not even on the floor of the house. My regions’ people had not been given what they deserved.” 

The Garissa Township legislator argued that the BBI was about locking Ruto out of the Presidency and creating seats for Raila and Uhuru allies.

He, however, forgave Uhuru for betraying him and stated that Ruto would win the 2022 General Election as the handshake weakened his only competitor, Raila. 

President Uhuru and ODM leader Raila.
President Uhuru and ODM leader Raila.
Kenyans.co.ke