President William Ruto on Wednesday dismissed a proposal by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to engage former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a public debate, saying his administration would not be drawn into unnecessary political duels.
Speaking in Garissa to a cheering crowd, Ruto appeared to caution Duale against escalating the ongoing war of words within the ruling coalition.
“I want to tell my friend Aden Duale, those who know English normally say, ‘Don’t argue with a fool; people will not know the difference,’” Ruto said, drawing applause and laughter from the audience. “Let us not waste our time. We have an agenda for this nation and a programme.”
Duale had earlier suggested that Gachagua be invited to a public debate on key national issues, amid growing political tensions and sharp exchanges among leaders allied to the government.
Speaking during the Nyota event in Garissa, Duale said, “I am ready to engage him. I challenge the former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua. I will challenge you to a contest.”
However, President Ruto signalled that his administration would instead focus on delivering development projects, particularly in historically marginalised regions such as northern Kenya.
“I have been here in Garissa and I told you that we are going to re-write the wrong history that was written about this region. We will correct the historical injustices, and we are already underway in correcting those injustices,” he said.
The President highlighted challenges facing young people in northern Kenya, especially limited access to national identification documents, which he said had excluded many from government opportunities.
Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to addressing these issues as part of his broader agenda to promote inclusion and equitable development across the country.
