WAJIR, Kenya (Kaab TV) – Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, Aden Duale, said Tuesday that the Somali community in Kenya has experienced unprecedented political inclusion, freedoms, and development opportunities under the administration of President William Ruto.

Speaking during a public event in Wajir County, Duale defended Ruto’s policies toward northern Kenya and the ethnic Somali population, arguing that previous governments had historically marginalized Somali communities through discriminatory practices affecting education, public employment, access to national identity documents, and participation in state institutions.

“Somalis in Kenya have now gained independence. President Ruto is being criticized because of what he has given to the Somali community,” Duale said during his remarks.

Duale stated that earlier administrations often viewed northern Kenya primarily through a security lens, limiting economic opportunities and restricting access to government services for residents of counties such as Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera. He said the current administration has shifted toward policies focused on integration, inclusion, and development.

According to Duale, the Ruto administration has expanded investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and youth empowerment programs in northeastern Kenya, while also promoting girls’ education and improving public services in historically underserved areas.

He also praised President Ruto for appointing more Somali leaders to senior government positions and national institutions, describing him as a leader who understands the concerns and aspirations of the Somali community in Kenya.

The remarks come amid continuing political debate in Kenya over equitable distribution of resources, regional development, and representation of minority communities in national politics and public administration.

Wajir recently hosted Kenya’s 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, marking the first time the national event had been held in the northeastern region since Kenya’s independence. Government officials described the move as a symbol of inclusion for a region long associated with marginalization and underdevelopment.

Earlier this year, President Ruto also signed a presidential proclamation in Wajir ending the controversial extra-vetting process previously required for residents of border counties seeking Kenyan national identity cards. The government described the decision as an effort to end decades of discrimination against communities in northeastern Kenya.

The vetting system dated back to security measures introduced after the Shifta War of 1963–1967, when ethnic Somali separatists in northern Kenya sought unification with Somalia. For decades afterward, ethnic Somalis in counties bordering Somalia faced additional scrutiny before obtaining citizenship documents.

Human rights groups and policy researchers have long argued that the vetting process deepened exclusion and reinforced suspicion toward Kenyan Somalis and other border communities, while also limiting access to education, employment, banking services, and political participation.

Political analysts say Duale’s comments are likely to intensify debate ahead of Kenya’s 2027 general elections, with Ruto’s allies portraying his northern Kenya policies as evidence of national inclusion, while critics question whether government promises will translate into lasting economic and social transformation for the region.