Aden Duale now backs security swoops

The National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale now says he supports the ongoing crackdown on suspected terrorists and the swoop on illegal aliens as long as it is done within the law.

Mr Duale said on Saturday that he was ready to take a bullet for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto and that he was prepared to fully discharge his mandate with the same zeal and energy when Parliament resumes.

In an interview with the Sunday Nation, Mr Duale, who had disagreements with some Jubilee MPs over his stand on the operation, said he met President Kenyatta on Wednesday together with 32 Muslim legislators and they assured him of their support in the ongoing security operation “so long as it is done within the confines of the law”. (READ: Duale isolated as Ruto talks tough on terror)

Mr Duale said President Kenyatta was also categorical that Kenyan Muslims in general and Somalis in particular will not be discriminated in the ongoing swoop.

The Garissa Township MP who has been branded a sycophant accused the media of misinterpreting his remarks in Eastleigh recently, implying that he said terrorists should bomb elsewhere but not Eastleigh.

“What I said is that terrorists will not bomb Machakos because the people there will not hide them but terrorists have a way of hiding among our people in Eastleigh,” Mr Duale said. The URP MP said he is a victim of terror as 15 people were killed during an attack in Garissa in 2011.

“The biggest victims of terror are the people of North Eastern including Wajir, Mandera and Garissa,” Mr Duale said. He has been a key defender of the Jubilee administration. Yesterday he said he will not quit despite calls by some MPs led by Kigumo’s Jamleck Kamau for him to resign.

“There’s nowhere I am going. On Tuesday when Parliament resumes, I will take my position as defender of the Jubilee administration,” Mr Duale said.

“We support the government in maintaining security. Al-Shabaab does not represent a community or any religion.”