Kenya’s Environment Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, has launched a scathing attack on Citizen TV for its reference to Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties as the “Somali region.” The media house, owned by Royal Media Services (RMS), made the remark while covering a High Court ruling that annulled the 2019 census results for the three counties due to irregularities.
Duale didn’t mince words, slamming the term as “absurd, irresponsible, discriminatory, and ethnic profiling.” He accused Citizen TV of crossing a dangerous line—not just in journalism, but in national unity. His outrage underscores a deeper tension in Kenyan politics: the delicate balance between ethnic identity and territorial integrity.
For Duale, the “Somali region” label is more than a careless media phrase; it’s a threat to the sovereignty of Kenya’s northeastern counties. He sees it as an extension of the very forces that sought to manipulate the census results—those who view the region as separate rather than integral to Kenya.
But Citizen TV’s phrasing isn’t happening in a vacuum. The historical marginalization of the region and ongoing security concerns have long fueled questions of identity, belonging, and representation. Was this a mere editorial blunder, or does it reflect a deeper bias in how mainstream media portrays northeastern Kenya?
Duale is now demanding a public apology from Citizen TV, pushing the debate beyond census disputes and into the heart of Kenya’s national identity. Is the media fueling dangerous narratives, or is Duale exploiting the issue for political mileage? Either way, this controversy is far from over.
