By Hassan Wekesa - Editor
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Kenya, 24 October 2026 - Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Saturday launched a scathing attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during the Global Somali Entrepreneurship Forum 2026.
Duale, who was the Chief Guest, said Kenyan parliamentarians made the right decision to impeach the former second in command. He claimed Gachagua was sowing seeds of discord in the country.
“Just two years after President William Ruto ascended to power, we realised that Kenya could not move forward with Gachagua as the Deputy President,” CS Duale said.
He said this as he implored Somalis in the Federal Republic of Somalia to put the right leaders in office when they go to the polls.
Duale hailed President Ruto and urged Somalia to be careful about whom it entrusts with the leadership mantle.
The Health CS joked that “Somalia currently has so many Gachaguas.”
“I can help you identify Gachaguas whether in Somalia or in Uganda,” he claimed.
This is not the first time Duale has claimed he can reveal the names of perceived detractors of development. He had earlier threatened to release the names of people who allegedly funded al-Shabaab terrorist activities in Kenya, but he went silent over the promise.
Nonetheless, CS Duale’s claim against Gachagua was that he was allegedly interested in “shareholder politics” at a time when President Ruto was keen on achieving equitable development across the country.
In just four years, he said, President Ruto has achieved what his four predecessors, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, never managed.
He said Kenya is currently the seventh largest economy in Africa and the leading one in the East African region, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $151 billion.
“Kenya is 10 times ahead of Somalia. In our region, Kenya leads ahead of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda,” he said.
He added that, under the able leadership of President Ruto, the Kenya shilling has remained stable against the US dollar.
“Kenya Shilling stabilised from KSh 165 per Dollar to KSh 130, which has really stabilised there for over two years,” he said.
He said Kenya’s agricultural sector has also improved. On government services, he said, over 7,000 of them can now be accessed through the eCitizen platform. Digitisation of services has also improved access to information, enabling the government to track statistics and plan effectively for the development of its people.
He laughed off some Kenyans who label the Somali community as backward.
“When some people talk ill about we Somalis, I tell them to go think about it,” he said, adding that Somalis worldwide are agile and risk takers.
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“Here in Kenya and East Africa, everyone knows CJ’s Restaurant, which originated in Uganda but is doing very well here in Kenya,” Duale said.
“Somalis are agile, but what they now lack is generational wealth. I urge each one of you attending this forum to go and read the book The Jewish Phenomenon,” he said.
He also cited the Ismaili Muslim community and gave the example of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Overall, he stated, what countries need to do is collaborate.
“Generational wealth is very important. Right now, maybe 10 Somali businesses are generational wealth. Many you find have a restaurant today, and in six months they are trying something to do with cattle. In other words, we need to have generational wealth,” he stated.
He argued that families must learn to build generational wealth, where one group is in insurance, another in banking, another in technology, and so on.
He also highlighted how, on many occasions during foreign trips as a government official, he bumps into Somalis eking out a living abroad.
“I remember we were in Guinea Bissau with President Ruto. He challenged me, thinking that it would be difficult to find a Somali. He dared that if I found any from our community, he would give me KSh 2 million. I found two of them, who told me they coordinate with other Somali diaspora, Egyptians and some Indians to sell cashew nuts,” he said.
He added that Somali footprints are found all over. In Lusaka, Zambia, he said, one would think they were in Garissa, Kenya, or Mogadishu, Somalia.
He urged Somalis back in Somalia to fix politics there, and the Somali government to ensure that everything is set and that the country ratifies all the requirements of the East African Community (EAC).
“Being a member of the Legislative arm alone is not enough. Please ensure the customs are in sync, and that will spur economic activity,” he advised.
He was categorical that Kenya and Somalia have a strong connection, and advised that citizens and governments on both sides must do what is needed to ensure a thriving business environment.
Businesses showcasing at the forum included Takaful Insurance, Beba Fleet, Fly Dubai, Amanah Insurance, BananaPay, Astral Aviation, and Roasting Peacock.
Also present were Vickers Security Services Ltd, Aga Khan University, Aga Khan Hospital, Salaam Somali Bank, Travel Takaful and PayOn Time, and Silva Gigiri.
The two-day event ends on Sunday, 25 October 2026.
Health CS tells Somali entrepreneurs to build generational wealth and elect the right leaders back home in Somalia.