PERSON OF INTEREST POLITICS

Duale’s Ksh851M Fortune: Camels, Real Estate and More

MARTIN SIELEOct 17, 20221.7k

Defense CS nominee Aden Duale served as the Majority Leader of the National Assembly under the Jubilee party in the 11th Parliament from 2013 to 2017 and in the 12th Parliament from 2017 to 2020.

Appearing before a parliamentary committee vetting Cabinet nominees on Monday, October 17, Defence CS nominee Aden Duale declared that he had a net worth of Ksh851 million.

The former Garissa MP and ex-Majority Leader in the National Assembly attributed much of his wealth to properties earning him around Ksh10 million in rental income per year. He further stated that the figure accounted for the whopping 231 camels he owns and several goats.

Duale was first elected as an MP on an ODM ticket in 2007, but ditched the party in 2009 to support Ruto in URP and later, Jubilee and UDA. He served as the Majority Leader of the National Assembly under the Jubilee party in the 11th Parliament from 2013 to 2017 and in the 12th Parliament from 2017 to 2020, but was kicked out of the role during the bitter fallout in Jubilee pitting allies of Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta against each other.

Duale was among a number of nominees who appeared before the committee on Monday, with Prime Cabinet Secretary nominee Musalia Mudavadi and Attorney General nominee Justin Muturi appearing before him.

Muturi, the former Speaker of the National Assembly, had earlier told MPs that his net worth was Ksh700 million. It was a dramatic increase from the Ksh300 million net worth he declared in 2021 before abandoning his presidential bid to back President William Ruto.

He attributed his earnings to activities including farming and consultancy, further noting that he was a pensioner. Last year, he cited commercial properties as earning him a pretty penny while supporting lifestyle audits for public officials.

Mudavadi told the committee that his net worth was Ksh4 billion. He cited his ownership of shares in listed companies as well as properties.

“If I take my investment in shares in some companies and also properties that I own I would put my net worth at about Ksh4 billion,” Mudavadi stated.