Environment CS Nominee Declares Corruption Greater Threat Than Al-Shabaab

Environment CS Nominee Declares Corruption Greater Threat than Al-Shabaab

Post author:Mujuni Henry
Post published:August 2, 2024
Post category:World
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Aden Duale, the nominated Environment Cabinet Secretary of Kenya, has asserted that corruption poses a graver challenge to the country’s development agenda than the threat of the Al-Shabaab terror group.

Duale made these remarks during his vetting before the Parliament’s Committee on Appointments on Friday.

The comments came in response to a question posed by the National Assembly Majority Leader, Kimani Ichung’wa, who had tasked Duale to explain how he intends to tackle the issue of forest land grabbing in the country if confirmed into the ministerial position.

Referencing his previous role as the Defence Cabinet Secretary, Duale stated, “If I were asked whether Al-Shabaab or corruption poses a greater threat to Kenya’s national security, I would, without fear of contradiction, state that corruption is a more significant threat to our security and existence than Al-Shabaab.”

Duale elaborated that while Al-Shabaab terrorists can be easily identified and dealt with by security agencies due to their distinct modus operandi, forest land grabbers often remain anonymous and hidden from public view until court petitions are filed.

Environment CS Nominee Declares Corruption Greater Threat than Al-Shabaab 1

Furthermore, Duale noted that a considerable number of forest land grabbers are public officials holding senior positions in the government.

He vowed to revoke the land titles of these individuals should he be confirmed as the Environment Cabinet Secretary.

“I want to categorically say that if this House approves me, in the first 30 days, working with the Lands CS and government agencies, land titles belonging to big people in government, some of them Members of Parliament, will be revoked,” Duale stated.

Duale also pledged to consolidate all forest land grabbing petitions, separating genuine cases from the not-so-genuine ones, before forwarding his findings to the Cabinet for further action.

He emphasized that if appointed, forestry will be his primary focus, and he will go after forest land grabbers regardless of their status in society.