Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has challenged the Democracy for the Citizens party leader Rigathi Gachagua to a public debate over North Eastern Region development.

Speaking during the Nyota event in Garissa on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, Duale said that he is ready to engage, calling on Gachagua to accept the challenge to debate with him on matters of development in northern Kenya.

 “I am ready to engage him. I challenge the former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua. I will challenge you to a contest,” Duale stated.

 “Let us meet at Jeff Koinakis’ bench. I will challenge you. Tukutane Kiwanjani. I am ready,” Duale added.

Duale has taken on the former deputy president over his remarks on the Kenyan leaders. He has told Rigathi that he has no authority to lecture the Northern Kenya leaders on development, claiming that he had an opportunity in government and did not change the situation for the better.

Duale has further blamed past government failures, saying that during the previous regime, the government was accountable for the closure of passport offices in Garissa. He has also blamed the administration for contributing to poor school performance.

“You are the one who made all our children mass failures of 2018-2019. The same administration, Your Excellency… are the ones who even denied us our numbers, our census,” Duale added.

Gachagua has been slamming the Northern Kenya leaders, blaming them for the embezzlement of funds allocated for development in the area, making the region lag behind in development.

Gachagua also challenged President William Ruto to explain to the Northern Kenya people why his government has not heeded the promises he made to the residents of the area during the campaign period .

Speaking during a press conference with the media at the DCP headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the former deputy president has lamented the poor state of development in the area despite the president making promises of development in the area.

Gachagua has noted that the president has not met the promises despite having promised them during the campaign period in 2022.

“William Ruto should explain to the people of Northern Kenya why he keeps on lying to them anytime he visits the region with no tangible development,” Gachagua said.