Katiba Institute asks court to jail Duale for 15 months over contempt of court orders
By Zipporah Ngwatu, June 23, 2026The Katiba Institute has urged the court to sentence the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Aden Duale, to 15 months in jail for defying court orders that were issued blocking him and the government from establishing the Ebola facility.
Through counsel Joshua Malidzo Nyawa, Katiba has, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, told Judge Patricia Nyaundi that the CS wilfully disobeyed court orders issued on May 28, 2026; thus, he should be severely punished for that.
“My lady, we do urge the court to sentence the contemnor to a committal sentence of 15 months for wilfully disobeying court orders blocking the establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility,” Counsel Nyawa urged the court.
Katiba Institute told the court that in sentencing the CS, the court must consider the status of the office of the contemnor (Duale).
“My lady, we submit that the appropriate sentence here should be one that indicates the authority and dignity of this court and affirms the supremacy of the constitution and rule of law,” counsel Nyawa submitted.
Katiba urged the court in sentencing the health CS to ensure the punishment is severe enough to deter Duale and any other state officer with such behaviour.
“My lady, the sentence should be able to deter the contemnor (Duale) and any other state officer, and no person, no matter the rank or how mighty one may think to be, is above the law,” Nyawa urged the court.
Nyawa vehemently objected, as did Duale’s counsel Eric Gumbo, who urged the court to pardon him with a warning, citing that such will encourage other state officers to do illegal things and later apologise.
He said that if the court pardons the contemnor, he will keep repeating doing the wrong things, bearing in mind that he will eventually come to court and say he is sorry and the court will let him go, and that will be the end of it.