Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has declared that pastoralist communities are preparing to become a major political force in the 2027 General Election, unveiling a voter and national identity card registration campaign aimed at increasing participation across northern Kenya.
He said the region intends to use its voting strength to influence the country's leadership, insisting pastoralists will no longer play a peripheral role in national politics.
Speaking on Saturday, August 1, 2026, during a fundraising event for the construction of mosques and madrasas in Afwein, Lagdera Sub-county, where he was the chief guest, Duale said leaders from the pastoralist counties had launched a major mobilisation exercise to ensure every eligible resident registers for both a national identity card and as a voter ahead of the next election.
The former four-term Garissa Township MP, who is the only Cabinet Secretary from the Somali community, said the region had every reason to continue backing President William Ruto, arguing that the Head of State had demonstrated through development projects that every part of the country deserves equal attention.
"We want to make sure that pastoralists will not be passengers in the next General Election. We shall be stakeholders," Duale said.
He urged eligible residents to take advantage of the upcoming mass voter registration exercise, saying no one should be left out of the electoral process.
"We are mobilising our people to register during the mass voter registration exercise. We want every eligible Kenyan to obtain an identity card and a voter card so that no one is left behind. Insha’Allah, in 2027, the first ballot box to be filled early in the morning will be that of President William Ruto," he said.
According to Duale, the combined pastoralist counties account for nearly five million votes, a number he believes can play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
The Cabinet Secretary also dismissed claims that leaders from the region should apologise for supporting President Ruto, maintaining that their position is based on what they see as the government's commitment to equitable development.
"We have no apologies for supporting President Ruto," he said.
"The President has demonstrated through actions, not words, that he believes in equity in the distribution of development across Kenya. We are telling the rest of the country that because he has treated every region fairly, we have made a commitment and a pledge to support his re-election," he said.
Duale maintained that political support should be judged by development delivered to citizens rather than political rhetoric, saying the Kenya Kwanza administration had stood with the people of northern Kenya.
"You might not like us, but one thing we want to state categorically is that we are with the President. You might hate us, but we have made a commitment to support President Ruto’s re-election bid because he has stood with our people," he said.
The Health CS also renewed his criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, extending an exchange between the two that has gathered pace in recent weeks as political realignments ahead of the 2027 election continue.
Duale criticised a recent meeting that brought together Gachagua and a section of politicians and aspiring leaders from North Eastern Kenya, saying those attending did not represent the interests of the region.
"Those people you are assembling and purporting to be leaders from our region are not speaking for North Eastern. They claim there are no roads in my constituency, yet everybody knows that is not true. They clearly have no idea what Garissa looks like today," he added.
His remarks came after Gachagua accused some of North Eastern Kenya's senior political leaders of failing to improve the lives of residents despite serving in influential government positions.
During that meeting, Gachagua singled out Duale and Eldas MP Adan Keynan, accusing them of doing little to transform the region despite their many years in national leadership.