Aden Duale Biography, Early Life, Career, Marriage And Comments On Catholic Church

By Prudence Minayo

Aden Bare Duale (Born on 15th June 1969) is the Garissa Township member of parliament and also served as the National Assembly Majority leader under the ruling Jubilee Party before he was ousted from the powerful position. He is allied to the deputy president William Ruto and his new political vehicle, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). 

Early Life

Aden hails from the Abdulwak of the Talamooge sub-clan, which forms part of the Ogaden clan. He has an identical twin brother. His late father was a pastoralist who did not believe in Education. Hawa Kosara, his mother, was a businesswoman who moved her kids to the town centre and left their father to herd cattle back in the village. 

He attended Boystown Primary School in Garissa before proceeding to Garissa High School. He later on joined Moi Forces Academy in Nakuru where he completed his secondary school education. 

Also Read: Gladys Gachanja Biography, Education, Career and Personal Life

The vocal politician joined Moi University for his Bachelor’s Degree in Education before proceeding to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology for an Executive MBA. 

Career

In the early 90s, he began his career as a teacher at Sankuri Secondary School. However, he quit barely a year into his teaching job and started working as a clerical officer at the Provincial Commissioner’s office in Garissa. Six months later, he quit the job due to what he termed as poor payment. Thereafter, he joined the family business. 

From 1999 to 2003, he worked as a director at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). 

Later on, he joined politics and was allied to the Orange Democratic Movement going to the 2007 General elections. He vied for the Dujis Constituency seat and won under the ODM ticket. In April 2008, he became Assistant Minister for Livestock. 

In 2011, he ended his allegiance to the ODM party and joined Deputy President William Ruto to form URP (United Republican Party).

URP joined forces with president Uhuru Kenyatta’s party TNA which formed the Jubilee Alliance. Duale is currently serving as the Member of Parliament for Garissa Town after being elected on a Jubilee party ticket. In 2013, he was also elected majority leader before his unceremonious ouster. 

Employment/Service History:

3. Membership to Committees (11th Parliament):

4. Membership to Committees (12th Parliament):

Marriage

The MP is married to the daughter of former Chief of General Staff Mahmoud Mohamed. He has five sons, with his eldest Abdul Razak Mohamed having scored an A- from the prestigious Mang’u High School in 2015. 

“I only paid four cows for my wife. I have five sons, with the eldest in university, and the youngest in Kindergarten, I love my family so much,” he told the Standard three years ago. 

Bills 

Aden Duale has sponsored over 20 bills in parliament including:

• The Division of Revenue Bill, 2013
• The Kenya Heroes Bill, 2013
• The National Social security Fund Bill, 2013
• The Private Security Regulations Bill, 2014
• The Transfer of Prisoners Bill, 2014
• The Person’s Deprived of Liberty Bill, 2014
• The Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Bill, 2014

He also sponsored the Computer and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2020. The bill sought to illegalize the production, publication, promotion and distribution of blue (adult) movies and images through smart gadgets and internet. The bill proposed 20 years imprisonment or Ksh20 million fine for anyone found with these materials. The bill was aimed at discouraging deviant behaviour among the youth which was believed to be ignited by adult movies. 

Duale On Catholic church

He is one of the best legislators in Kenya but that has not shielded him from making some  careless utterances. Recently, many came out to strongly condemn him after he likened ODM to a cult and related it to the Catholic church. He made the remarks alleging ODM had a tyrannical leadership with members not being allowed to express their views freely. 

“ODM is a cult, nobody can speak, it is like the Catholic Church where we only have the Pope but Jubilee is very democratic,” he said during the Live JKL Show aired on Citizen TV. 

Comparing it to the Catholic church ruffled the feathers of many who thought the remarks were uncalled for. 

Duale, however, came out to clear the air saying the sentiments he made were in no way meant to disrespect the Catholic church.

In 2015, he vowed to name al-shabab elements and their financiers who had wrecked havoc in the country. He said at the time:

“We recognize the reality of collaborators amongst our communities and we will, with immediate effect, commence to identify them, to document them, and to expose all the members, the financiers and sympathizers of al-Shabab within the next one month..”

After this bold pronouncement, Duale went mum and the one month passed without a mention of the al-shabab terrorists.