Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has declared that he will only honour any summons by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) over his controversial remarks if former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is also summoned to answer allegations of hate speech, escalating an already bitter political standoff over ethnic rhetoric.
Speaking during a wedding ceremony in Garissa on Sunday, Duale accused the commission of applying double standards by pursuing government officials while allegedly ignoring remarks made by opposition leaders that he claimed were equally, if not more, inflammatory.
"I want to tell the NCIC that the day you are going to summon Rigathi Gachagua is the day you are going to summon Aden Duale," the Cabinet Secretary said.
He insisted that any appearance before the commission must be on equal terms.
"When the NCIC summons me, I must also be accompanied by Rigathi Gachagua. When I am accompanied by my lawyers, Gachagua should also have his. But one thing I will not do is go to the NCIC offices before Gachagua does," he said.
Duale went further, accusing the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader of repeatedly making remarks that he claimed promoted ethnic division and targeted the Muslim community.
"If there is one person who has consistently spread hate speech in this country, it is Rigathi Gachagua. You do personal attacks on the personality and the character of the President," he said.
"You will first bring Gachagua over the hate speech he has had against the Muslim community. If you do not bring Gachagua, you will not write me a letter, and I will not comply."
The Cabinet Secretary's remarks come days after the NCIC confirmed it had opened investigations into comments he made in Somali during a public event in Lafey, Mandera County.
The commission said its Investigations Department was conducting "a thorough and impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the said utterances" following complaints that the remarks amounted to ethnic incitement.
Duale, however, has rejected the accusations, insisting his comments were deliberately misrepresented.
"I have been widely misquoted, and my remarks delivered in Lafey Constituency have been taken out of context to advance false and misleading narratives," he said.
He explained that the phrase at the centre of the controversy—"Waraabe la-tagis bartay, ka-ridis waa ku dhib"—is a common Somali proverb.
"It is a figurative expression about the difficulty of ending entrenched habits or long-enjoyed advantages. It was never directed at any community or intended to demean anyone," he said.
According to Duale, his speech centred on national inclusivity and equal opportunities for all Kenyans.
"My message was about the importance of embracing inclusivity as the government continues to ensure that all Kenyans, regardless of their region or ethnicity, have an opportunity to serve the nation," he said, dismissing claims of ethnic incitement as "a deliberate distortion" of his remarks.
The controversy has sparked fresh debate over the NCIC's enforcement of hate speech laws as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Opposition leaders, including former Deputy President Gachagua, have criticised Duale's remarks, while Jubilee Deputy Party leader Jeremiah Kioni demanded an apology and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka called for the Cabinet Secretary's resignation.
Despite the criticism, Duale maintained that the law should be applied fairly to all political leaders, arguing that the commission's credibility depends on enforcing hate speech regulations consistently regardless of political affiliation.