An ally of Deputy President William Ruto is now blaming China for putting the country into a crisis.
Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, once a key insider in the Jubilee administration, for the first time disclosed the alarms that President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration may have ignored.
He disclosed that China gave a blank cheque to Kenya where everyone with a project proposal was funded.
In an exclusive interview with the Star, Duale said they were in a rush to implement mega projects.
"China did not put conditions to safeguard the country. They brought the crisis we have in the country today. Kenya should reconsider its relationship with China," he said.
The MP, now a key member of Ruto's 2022 project, further observed that disagreements over borrowing accelerated the tiff between the DP and his boss.
He argued their advice - as Parliament, to restructure the debt and put a halt to borrowing was set aside, later on, bundled out of their plum jobs.
Duale revealed that Ruto did not support the idea of increasing the debt ceiling to a nominal figure of Sh9 trillion.
"Indeed during the first term there was a lot of borrowing…but in the second term when we advised that we must restructure the debt, we were removed from all our positions in Parliament," he said.
"When the debt ceiling was being increased, the Deputy President was not in charge. He was not for the idea."
The former National Assembly Majority Leader, however, held that the successes of the Jubilee government cannot be left to Kenyatta. "We will share the successes. We are part of the government."
The MP said that in the face of the debt crisis, whoever will come after President Kenyatta may not sit pretty in State House.
"The next president, whoever it would be, will not rest easy following the country’s debt crisis," he added.
“He’ll have white hair like former US President Barrack Obama, whether it will be Raila or Ruto. They are going to be in trouble with this debt crisis.”
The lawmaker further regretted that the President is leaving the country disunited, dysfunctional.
He said it would be good for President to keep off the 2022 succession politics and assure the frontrunners of a smooth transition.
Saying he was sacrificed for supporting Ruto, Duale asked President Kenyatta to emulate his predecessor Mwai Kibaki.
Duale spoke with Moses Odhiambo on the way forward to 2022, including UDA future in the succession matrix.
What would you advise the President to do about 2022?
It would have been better if the President, DP, and Raila are together, holding hands. The President, like Kibaki, should say; ‘go compete, whoever will win; I will hand over the instrument of power.’ But with his political party in disarray, completely disjointed, and him not talking with his deputy, are we talking of a united county? No.
Does this make President Kenyatta such a failure?
No. Let’s give the devil its due. President Kenyatta and his admin, me included, has transformed this country. The only thing remaining for whoever will take over is how to manage and restructure the debt portfolio before China takes over our port, airports, and our strategic installations.
Speaking of unity, why is UDA not keen on working with small parties?
We don’t want to backtrack on what we agreed with President Uhuru Kenyatta that Kenya should have two major political parties. ODM and UDA are the only two serious parties. When we make parties a national outfit, all ethnic groups can have a voice or space, and then Kenya will develop.
Following your tribulations in Jubilee, how were you convinced to dissolve URP?
In 2013, when we came together, URP and TNA, it was on the fact that President Uhuru Kenyatta alone would not have won, so was William. They had baggage – the ICC. In the middle of the first five years – around 2015 – we decided to stop the culture of “ethnic political parties” and formed Jubilee as a national party.
But after the 2017 repeat poll, people around the President - who to us is a fine leader and a very good one - decided they would not give power to Ruto. These people have been in all governments - the Biwotts of Moi time, the Murungarus of Kibaki time who frustrated Raila, and the Mbiu Koinange’s of Kenyatta time who frustrated Mboya and Jaramogi. They decided they will not allow Ruto to run and then started to cannibalise Jubilee. Every meeting and press conference by Jubilee was to eject people culminating in our removal from the House leadership. Without blowing my trumpet; if it is loyalty, performance, and loyalty to the president, I did it. Just because I was a friend of Ruto, I became a sacrificial lamb.
Did you have doubts about the conversation to dissolve URP?
I had doubts when we were dissolving URP, and it was not only me. Even colleagues in TNA like Kabogo and Sakaja but we were convinced by our leaders. I am against the mushrooming of regional parties. That is why I did not attend the launch of UPYA by Ukur Yatani (National Treasury CS), and Ali Roba (Mandera Governor). Why? The Somali community are better off in a bigger national conversation like was in ODM in 2007 and Jubilee thereafter. You are better off in a bigger supermarket than be in a small kiosk.
What, in your view, would happen in 2022?
The race is between Ruto and Raila. You can see we have a following in all regions, as per opinion polls, even Nyanza. The man to beat in the next election is William Ruto if we sustain the momentum and all factors remain constant in the next eight months. That is why the President for the first time is indirectly telling us that we are too fast. People did not get the comment. Having worked with the President for many years, I know how he talks. That was positive for us. I have worked with Raila. Age is catching up with him. I know how he campaigned in 2007. The President was in other words begging us that we shouldn’t tire Baba.
Whom do you consider as your main rival?
We also want a very serious competitor for the next general election. The only competitor is Raila. We don’t want him to say that he is not vying. Every night we pray that he vies. Outside Raila candidature, there is nobody else we can compete with. On a lighter note, there are two horses in this race – Raila and Ruto – the rest are donkeys.
Are you talking with Musalia? Oka leaders?
It is not yet time for forming coalitions. This comes around March and April. If there are Kenyans, political leaders, parties, including OKA and even ODM that at one stage will feel they agree with our agenda of the bottom up, hustler nation, and that the conversation is about the ordinary people, is welcome and our doors are open. UDA believes everybody has a place, voice in our party because the conversation must change, must be about ordinary people.
What is your plan for 2022?
Those are my secret cards. The only plan I will tell you today is that I am investing my energy, resources, and time in the Ruto presidential race. I am at the door of every constituency picking candidates in the Northeastern region and making sure that they stand on UDA. I am not going to vie as a governor. I believe in the delivery of leadership. After serving as Majority leader, and the first one for seven and a half years, I don’t think there is any other bigger position left for me in the chamber unless I go for Speaker which I have not discussed with my party yet.
Are you interested in the deputy president post?
No. I am not interested. For us to win, we must accept that a presidential system of governance is a tyranny of numbers. Under the presidential system, for you to win, numbers count. I am part of the people doing it. The social media post about “Duale for DP” was not in good intention. That is the work of Kieleweke bloggers trying to bring a wedge between us and our allies in Mt Kenya.
Would you work with Raila in future?
If there is one thing Raila wishes in Northern Kenya is for me to come back to ODM. I don’t think I can. I worked with him and was part of his team in 2007. If there is one election Raila has won, it is 2007. But there are many reasons I will not go back. Raila does not keep his word. Through the handshake, he destroyed his credentials of anti-corruption crusader, human rights defender, and constitution defender. The Raila of 2007 is not the one of today. He should not have supported the BBI. It was a fraud. Until recently, Raila was a household name in Northern Kenya because he spoke against injustice. Uhuru is not vying so I am only left with the option of supporting Ruto.
Where did you meet Raila? Who made who?
I joined LDP in 2003 which culminated in the 2005 referendum. I later joined ODM and became MP because I shared some ideological principles with Raila. I gave ODM a national face. Raila doesn’t give me votes. He is my elder and was my party leader and I have a lot of respect for him. I have learned a lot from Raila which I am putting in a memoir I am writing. If it was a schooling system, my political teacher was Raila in primary school. In secondary school, my teacher was Ruto. I have respect for Raila, Uhuru, and Ruto.
Word to Kenyans ahead of 2022 elections?
To the political class, Kenya belongs to all of us and will exist after the election. Kenyans are very hardworking people. Let us work towards having a free, fair, and credible election. Let Kenyans not shed blood on the account of political competition. I am ready to sacrifice any political ambition if my winning would lead to chaos.
