NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa has launched a fierce response against Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, accusing him of hypocrisy and political desperation after he publicly mocked her intellectual capacity during their time together in Cabinet.
The heated exchange follows remarks made by Duale during a public rally in Mombasa, where he claimed he frequently had to assist Jumwa in interpreting and presenting Cabinet memos.
Speaking during a resource mobilization event in Mombasa alongside Mining CS Ali Hassan Joho, Duale ridiculed Jumwa’s performance in Cabinet, pointing to her recent political realignment away from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
“I used to sit next to her in the Cabinet… She could not even comprehend a Cabinet paper. I used to help her read it and explain it. I used to feel so embarrassed whenever the President asked her to state her papers.”
Duale also criticized Jumwa’s recent coalition-building efforts with opposition leaders, including Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Firing back, Jumwa dismissed Duale’s claims as fabricated political attacks meant to demean her dignity after her resignation from UDA. Calling Duale a hypocrite (“mnafiki”), Jumwa stated that Duale rarely spoke to her during Cabinet sittings, save for one instance where he allegedly confronted her out of political jealousy.
According to Jumwa, Duale only engaged her after she arranged a private meeting between President William Ruto and then-Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho prior to the formation of the broad-based government.
Jumwa claimed Duale angrily confronted and insulted her during a subsequent Cabinet meeting, demanding to know why she facilitated Joho’s access to State House.
She maintained that she was fully competent in handling her ministerial duties without Duale’s help.
Jumwa warned Duale against trying to dictate the political direction of the Coast region, asserting that local leaders are capable of charting their own path. The feud highlights growing friction within the ruling administration’s ranks following Jumwa’s exit from the UDA party. Female leaders, including East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Falhada Iman Dekow, have since condemned Duale’s remarks, terming them an attempt to demean women in leadership rather than engaging
