Defence Cabinet Secretary nominee Aden Duale has expressed reservations about the use of the military to manage civilian institutions.
Speaking on Monday while facing the parliamentary vetting panel at Town Hall, Duale referred to the takeover of the Kenya Meat Commission and the management of the city by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) as a mistake made by the regime of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“I think it was wrong to bring Kenyan defence generals to run Nairobi, a devolved function. You cannot just wake up and remove a general from the barracks. If that is not checked you’ll find a general who will become clerk of the National Assembly or Registrar of the Judiciary,” Duale said.
He stated that these decisions would have to be reconsidered under the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The Garissa Town MP stated that once fully formed, the new administration should return military personnel to the KDF, where they are required by law.
“I think going forward, not only the military Mr Speaker, DCI personnel, Intelligence officers who were put everywhere in the last four years, particularly KDF should go back to where the place and space is within the Constitution,” Duale said.
He affirmed that under his leadership, the disciplined forces will only execute the constitutional mandate and that any intrusion into civilian roles will be within the law.
He added that as a CS he will discharge his oversight role to keep the operations of the KDF in check.
