Kenya Majority Leader Aden Bare Duale Speaks to Thousands in Minnesota

Minnesota is buzzing with activity after the arrival of a high-level delegation from Kenya, on Friday, January 24. The group is led by the majority leader of the National Assembly of Kenya, H.E. Aden Bare Duale, who was received by a large crowd from the Kenyan and Somali community.

Mohamud Noor, Minnesota State Rep talked to HOL, “This isn’t the first time that the Honorable Mr. Duale graced us with his presence, nor will it be the last one”, he said. While addressing a crowd of over 3000 attendees, he remarked how Minnesota will always be the center of attention for the Kenyan government, as it is the home of the United States’ largest Kenyan and Somali community.

Furthermore, he highlighted the economic developments in Kenya, and showed his deep gratitude for the diaspora which continues to help the country through their generous contributions.

 Duale said, “There are billions of dollars remitted to our country each year.” A significant portion of these investments comes from hawala institutions operating in North America. 

However, Duale feels that while the monetary funds have been a driving force towards growth, the country still lags behind in other aspects. He wants the diaspora to bridge this gap by serving the nation through other means.

According to him, Kenya needs “people with new visions, new ideas… and advanced technical skills.” He strongly believes that the next generation of intellectuals and forward-thinking businesses people can pave the way towards a brighter future―as they have the tools and foreign education to make this happen.

This community heard a similar request from Ambassador Robinson Njeru Githae, after he announced the government’s plan to open a consulate in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis St. Paul. This pledge was made almost five years ago and has yet to be fulfilled.

According to one spokesperson, the community “would love to invest in our country (Kenya), but we are still waiting to get the real leadership who would encourage us to do so.” 

The Eastern African community in the States is hopeful that the Kenyan delegation’s recent visit will shed some light on this aspect and offer them a vehicle to accomplish this feat.

Moreover, we anticipate that this visit will be a historic moment for Kenya, as the government tries to cultivate a deeper relationship with its neighbor, Somalia.

Many attendees expected to hear some news about the outcome of last year’s negotiations between the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and Jubbaland officials.

Even though Duale did not say anything about the meetings or Ethiopia’s political strategies at the event, Ibrahim Arab, a member of the central committee of ONLF told HOL the group was grateful to Kenya. “We’re really grateful for the significant role that Kenya has played in this peace process, he said. “We can expect to hear an update during the delegation’s stay in the U.S.”