Aden Duale

S ince Kenya’s bloody general election in 2007, where has was elected as the Member of Parliament for Dujis, now Garissa Township, Aden Duale has been a prominent and everpresent force in Kenya’s political scene, making him the most influential Somali politician in Kenya for the past 16 years. After 2013 general election, he made history to become the first Majority Leader of the National Assembly under the 2010 Constitution. Duale lost the post in 2020 due to the “Handshake Effect” since he declined to support the Uhuru-Raila union.

He also served as the Assistant Minister of Livestock and Development in the 2007-formed Grand coalition Government between Raila Odinga (Prime Minister) and the late president, Mwai Kibaki before President William Ruto appointed him as Cabinet Secretary for Defense to become the only Somali to appear in the list of ministers of Kenya Kwanza government and the second man from Nothern Kenya to hold that docket after the late Yusuf Haji. In 2023, he became one of the most talked about leaders in Kenya and Africa in general after he launched his explosive book, For The Record, on May 11 at an event attended by top dignitaries led by President William Ruto. For the Record has the radical openness of a tell-all book. It is peppered with candid recollection of key events, dates and private conversations that illuminate the thought process of some of the most prominent leaders in Kenya. It exposes the blunders and successes of Kenya’s collective leadership over the past decade. In a way, it reads like frank self-assessment — warts and all—from a grassroots lawmaker with a national profile, a clear-eyed introspection by a connected politician with access to the inner sanctum of power

In this book, Duale reflects on the philosophy of the hustle. He shows that even if you have a mentor opening doors for you, you must put in the hours, the toil, the sweat and the tears. In the end, with God, everything works out. For a man who served in a House of records that the Legislature is, working closely with three presidents and one prime minister, Duale had to tell his story. This riveting book needed to be written for the record and it made the headlines in Africa and beyond.