Aden Duale

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence

Aden Duale EGH
Duale in September 2023

Cabinet Secretary for Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office 31 October 2022
President	William Ruto
Preceded by	Eugene Wamalwa
Member of Parliament for Dujis
In office 2007–2022
Preceded by	Hussein Maalim Mohamed
Succeeded by	Omar Hussein Abdi

Personal details
Born	(1969-06-15) 15 June 1969 (age 54) Garissa County, Kenya
Education	Moi Forces Academy, Nairobi
Alma mater	Moi University Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology

Aden Bare Duale EGH (Somali: Aadan Barre Ducaale) is a Kenyan politician currently serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Defence in the cabinet of President William Ruto,^[1]^[2] having assumed the position on 31 October 2022.^[3]

A former Member of the National Assembly for Garissa Township Constituency, Duale served as the Majority Leader of the National Assembly under the Jubilee Party in the 11th Parliament from 2013 to 2017 and in the 12th Parliament from 2017 to 2020, when he was ousted for perceived disloyalty to former President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Jubilee Party leader.^[4] He was elected first in 2007 under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), but left the party in 2009,^[5] teaming up with Ruto to form the United Republican Party.^[6]

Early life and education

Duale received his Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) from Garissa Primary School in 1981. He then enrolled in Garissa High School where he received his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 1985, and later joined Moi Forces Academy, Nairobi for his Kenya Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education (KACSE), which he completed in 1987. He enrolled in Moi University for his undergraduate studies in education before transferring to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology for his master's degree in business administration (MBA).^[7]

Early career

In 1992, Duale began his teaching career as a graduate teacher at Sankuri Secondary School. He did, however, leave after two months and thereafter worked for six months as a clerical officer at the office of the provincial commissioner in Garissa.^{[citation needed]} After that, he worked for their family business until becoming a director for Kenya Broadcasting Cooperation from 1999 to 2003. He is the Livestock Marketing Society of Kenya's co-founder and CEO.^{[citation needed]}

Political career

Member of the National Assembly

Duale has served as a representative of the Dujis Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya since the 2007 parliamentary elections.^[8] After initially being elected with the Orange Democratic Movement, he switched parties for the 2013 elections, and won re-election as a member of the United Republican Party. He also served as an assistant minister in the Ministry of Livestock Development between 2008 and 2013. In the 11th Parliament he was a member of the House Business and House Broadcasting Committees, while in the 12th Parliament he was a member of the House Business Committee.^[9]

During his time as leader of the majority, Duale was the sponsor of an unsuccessful 2018 bill that would have reserved one in three seats in parliament for women.^[10]

Early in his tenure as Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Duale officially deployed troops to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to join an East African Community Joint Regional Force aiming to combat armed groups in the region.^[2]

Political positions

In 2014, Duale argued that homosexuality in Kenya was "as serious as terrorism", but argued against stepping up legal sanctions on the grounds that the Kenyan constitution and the penal code were tough enough.^[11]

Personal life

Duale has a wife and five sons. His eldest son is in university while the youngest is in kindergarten.^[12]

References

^ "Hon. Aden Bare Duale, EGH. MP". Ministry for Defence. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
^ ^a ^b Edwin Waita, Hereward Holland, and Mukelwa Hlatshwayo (3 November 2022), Kenya deploys troops to Congo to help end decades of bloodshed Reuters.
^ "New Defence CS Takes Over The Reigns At Ulinzi House". 31 October 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
^ Ayega, Davis (22 June 2020). "Aden Duale Kicked Out As Majority Leader". Capital News. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
^ Marita, Bosco (12 August 2021). "Aden Duale: I left ODM party because it is like a cult". People Daily. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
^ Agutu, Nancy (8 September 2016). "Duale explains why he left ODM". The Star. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
^ "Hon. Duale, Aden Bare | The Kenyan Parliament Website". www.parliament.go.ke. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
^ Members Of The 10th Parliament Archived 2008-06-16 at the Wayback Machine. Parliament of Kenya. Accessed June 19, 2008.
^ "Hon. Duale, Aden Bare". parliament.go.ke. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
^ Nita Bhalla (28 November 2018), Kenyan MPs block drive for more women in politics Reuters.
^ James Macharia (26 March 2014), Leading Kenyan MP says homosexuality 'as serious as terrorism' Reuters.
^ Mate, Tongola. "I only paid four cows for my wife- Aden Duale". Standard Entertainment. Retrieved 7 October 2022.