Duale can’t seem to learn new tricks fast enough in NYS saga

The tune has changed and National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale is struggling to learn the new moves as the National Youth Service (NYS) scam draws in Jubilee insiders.

As one Nation reader, Julius Were, from Vihiga observed on Friday, it is ironic to see Mr Duale now vehemently disowning former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru whom he had fervently defended some seven months ago.

“In a chaotic parliamentary finance committee session today, CS Waiguru did excellent presentation of facts on NYS saga. Kudos to Waiguru,” said Mr Duale. That was on July 7, 2015.

On Tuesday, the tune was different. The dance arena equally changed. Instead of dancing in a group, Mr Duale found himself alone and perhaps lonely as he pushed back against the allegations of being a party to the Sh791 million NYS scandal.

“She should explain allegations that her relatives, including her sister, collected millions of shillings in basements of buildings. She lived in a small house in Runda before her Cabinet appointment, can she explain how she acquired the Kitisuru house?” he asked.

DOSE OF OWN MEDICINE

But even as he fought back against allegations of being a party to the multi-million-shilling scandal, he was having a dose of his own “Pesa si ya mama yako” medicine administered by none other than Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto.

“Wewe Duale, rudisha pesa ya NYS. Hiyo pesa sio ya mama yako (Duale, you should return NYS money. It does not belong to your mother),” the Bomet Governor told a cheering crowd at a campaign rally in Kericho after Ms Waiguru’s affidavit implicating the National Assembly Majority Leader was published.

The shoe was in the other foot. Mr Duale had visited Narok in the height of calls by governors to increase funding for county governments where he accused Governor Ruto of impropriety.

He threw the jab straight at him and memorably said; “Hii pesa si ya mama yako Bwana. (This is not your mother’s money, man.)” to a startled crowd and in the presence of Deputy President William Ruto.

The Majority Leader is a natural born politician who always has a word to say to anyone on his walking path from the Chamber to his office on second floor of Parliament complex.

POWER

Having married from the family of Gen (rtd) Mohammed Mohamud, Duale knows something or two about power and how to wield it.

Always attracting the attention of MPs, Duale shakes hands and will be seen engaging MPs animatedly on various topics.

He always reminds them that he has either just talked to the President or Deputy President that morning or he will be talking to them later in the evening.

He has been branded the sycophant-in-chief of President Kenyatta and his Deputy, but he has no apologies for it.

For his closeness to the two Jubilee principals, critics see him as irredeemably arrogant while the principals use him to say what they themselves cannot say in public.

Speaking in what one would think is unfinished cough, Duale is like his boss President Kenyatta issuing promises of future meetings whenever he is pressed by those who seek his attention.

“Wewe nipigie tuongee, nipigie jioni ama kesho, sawa?” he tells MPs and journalists alike without batting an eye lid.

BENEFICIARY OF CONSTITUTION

Having come from a hitherto marginalised community, Duale is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Constitution.

By virtue of his position he can call anyone in government and get whatever he wants.

In chambers he is given priority to speak by virtue of his position. 

When debating complex matters, Duale will weave his argument to suit his desire to attack the opposition even when it does not serve any purpose.

This week, however, the Leader of Majority was humbled by Ms Waiguru’s affidavit.

He had for a long time defended Ms Waiguru not alive to the adage that there is no point dancing yourself lame before the main dance begins.