- Duale was speaking during Ramadhan dinner at State House.
- The sacred month of Ramadan started on March 22.
Image: PCS
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has told off Azimio la Umoja coalition leader Raila Odinga over demonstrations.
On Tuesday, Duale said that the Opposition Chief had no respect for the Muslim Community as he carried out demos during the Holy month.
“Wasitumie maandamano mwezi wa ramadhan tafadhali. Walifanya Maandamano kwa huu mwezi wa amani. Wakisema wanangija ramadhan iishe, wangetuheshimu siku ya kwanza," he said
(He (Raila) should have not held demos during Ramadhan. They held their demos during this month of difference, a month of peace. They did their maandamano until the 20 days of Ramadhan. He should have respected the Muslim community from the beginning.)
Duale was speaking during Ramadhan dinner at State House.
The sacred month of Ramadan started on March 22.
This was two days after the first Raila-led demonstrations which took place in various counties including Nairobi, Kisumu and Homa Bay.
As a result, Muslim leaders in the country urged organizers of the Azimio demonstrations to respect Muslims as it's their month of prayers.
"Tunatoa mwito kwa wale waandalizi wa maandamao waheshimu waislamu na mwezi huu kwani ni mwezi wao wa ibada," they stated.
Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims chairman Coast region Muhdhar Khatarmy Sharif said the planned demos would disrupt the peace that is already in the country and affect the economy further.
Nyali Member of Parliament Mohammed Ali, while also addressing the media, said Azimio's demos will hurt members of the Muslim community who will be observing Ramadhan.
However, Raila led two more protests before calling them off on April 2, after President William Ruto called on him to do so and give way for a bipartisan parliamentary process in the recruitment of commissioners to the IEBC, which is one of the issues the opposition had raised with President Ruto's administration.
However, last week, Raila announced that the Azimio La Umoja demonstrations will resume after the holy month of Ramadhan.
"We have listened to you in these forums that we should continue with dialogue even as we stage demonstrations. We will continue with demonstrations and we will announce when the protest will be held after the Ramadhan period,” he said.
“I will announce after Ramadhan when I call you people, will you turn up?”