'Dr Aden' fears journos' questions more than a cold July morning

What would get a Waziri all worked up, enough to resort to mchongoano against a journalist? Questions. 

Until recently, Kenyan journos were not known to have plenty of those, at least according to one corporate titan, who once calmed a visiting executive, sweating over answers he would offer to a briefing, with assurances that the local press would not ask any questions.

Waziris dread questions more than Kenyans fear the sight of a bathroom in July. It’s even worse when the questions concern their work. Not because they are always hiding something, but because most couldn’t even if they wanted to.

President William Ruto has, time without number, opened up about the levels of cluelessness that exist in his Cabinet. That Mtukufu Rais retains a number of them equally calls his clue-fulness into question.

Aden Duale, the Waziri for Health, was rattled that a reporter would not only ask questions but insist on following them up.

The Nation’s Leon Lidigu wanted to know why Dr Mercy Mwangangi, the Social Health Authority’s (SHA) CEO, had received a letter from Dr Kanyenje Gakombe, who heads the Kenya Healthcare Federation, lamenting that SHA had not paid claims to hospitals.

A Waziri’s instinct is to overreact. Duale did not disappoint, and acted up like a man who had just been asked: “Babe, why is MPesa texting you, ‘I missed my period’?”

Of course, that is not the kind of question that would keep Bwana Waziri up at night - the perks of subscribing to a faith that wouldn’t begrudge you if you got such messages from four different ‘MPesas’.

Duale, being the typical man, wouldn’t let Lidigu finish.

“We are not in possession of that letter,” Duale, fighting the urge to blurt out “Hii SHA si ya mama yako”, interrupted, rather rudely. 

Too eager to respond, he had forgotten that the letter had not been addressed to him. 

“Let that person, if he has written, go to the CEO’s office. We don’t do our internal communications through a press conference,” the Waziri, his voice as hoarse as ever, went on.

A split second later, Duale would forget the Ministry’s policy that frowns upon “doing internal communications at press conferences”, and spoke to Bwana Gakombe through the press briefing.

“If they are involved in fraudulent activities, and they are under investigation, they will be told.”

Then Duale would reveal why he was beefing with the Nation Media Group (NMG).

“You (NMG) are bringing patients to your media house,” lamented Duale. 

Where does he suggest patients should be taken? Bwana Duale did not divulge. But it certainly can’t be Afya House, where billions are known to be lying around. They can’t risk having their billions land in the wrong hands.

“Please turn Nation Media into a health centre. We will register you, give you a SHA portal, and we will deal with your claims as Nation Media.”

He did not extend this invitation to The Standard, probably because he already thinks of the Bold as a health facility for the timely doses of ‘injections’ it serves.

Duale, serving in his third ministry since 2022, is no stranger to outbursts. As an MP, he once railed at former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto for demanding the devolution of more funds to the grassroots.

“Hii pesa si ya mama yako, bwana. Hii pesa si ya mama yako,” he fumed.

Years later, striking healthcare workers would use the same line on him as they demanded better pay.

Duale was appointed to the Health Ministry in March, having been tossed from the Environment docket. Lacking expertise in the health sector, Duale was seen as the bully Ruto desperately needed to counter incessant pressure from healthcare workers.

He had the height and voice for it. More importantly, he had the experience, having served as a stooge for former President Uhuru Kenyatta, bulldozing Uhuru’s most controversial policies through in Bunge.

And he would admit to employing underhanded tactics to win crucial votes, such as sending opposition lawmakers out on foreign trips. These habits refuse to die, evidenced by how a microphone was snatched from Lidigu on Friday by an overzealous orderly.