A dramatic standoff unfolded on Tuesday during a National Assembly Health Committee session when Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale got into a heated verbal exchange with Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi.
The confrontation stemmed from the closure of two health facilities allegedly linked to fraud. CS Duale claimed that the MP was connected to the facilities that had been shut down, triggering a sharp rebuttal.
“I have closed your hospitals,” Duale declared loudly. Kibagendi quickly denied the allegations, saying, “I have no hospitals, and I have never owned even a dispensary.”
Tensions escalated when Kibagendi accused the CS of using baseless accusations to avoid accountability.
“That is the strategy you use to hide. You need to answer questions. We are not your children; you cannot come and lecture us. Who are you? Just because you are the President’s friend,” the MP fired back.
Despite efforts by committee chairperson James Nyikal, the shouting match continued. Duale doubled down, warning, “We have closed your hospitals, and if possible, we will charge you in a court of law.”
Another clash soon broke out—this time between Duale and Nandi Woman Representative Cynthia Muge. He accused her of intimidation and ignored her point of order.
Duale went further, alleging that several members of the committee owned hospitals and should not be allowed to sit in the session.
“I have lived here for 20 years. I will not allow somebody to attack me within the reading of the standing orders. Nobody can bully me, particularly when conflicted,” he said defiantly.
He added, “Some of the members of this committee have facilities. If you want me to name them, I will name them and I will give them to you. They should not be in this committee.”
After the heated exchanges, MP Kibagendi took to Facebook to give his side of the story. He accused the CS of using personal attacks to dodge questions about alleged corruption and mismanagement within the Social Health Authority (SHA).
He challenged Duale to publicly provide evidence of the hospitals he was said to own, instead of diverting attention.
“Each time I ask CS Duale hard questions about SHA, he quickly switches to saying he has closed my hospitals (I don’t know which ones), and that is why I am hard on him,” the MP wrote.
He continued, “Why can’t Duale openly say which hospitals I own, when they were registered, and who are even my proxies?
And then go ahead to close them completely so that he can answer our questions about the inadequacies and conflicts of interest he has in SHA.”
By the end of the intense confrontation, only three MPs were still present to continue the committee session.
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