Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and veteran journalist Jeff Koinange revisited the controversy surrounding the CS’s “hyena” remarks during a discussion about the Eastleigh building collapse on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
The exchange took place as the two discussed the people behind buildings in Eastleigh and South C, with Koinange questioning Duale about whether those involved in the construction were his people.
“Is it your cousins who are building?” Koinange asked.
“No, the ones in Eastleigh are not my cousins, they are your cousins,” Duale responded.
The CS went on to explain that he had initially believed the people involved were his people but changed his position after conducting what he described as due diligence.
“They are Kenyans, but for now, the ones in South C were my cousins; the ones in Eastleigh are your cousins. First, I thought they were my cousins, but after my due diligence, I found out they were your cousins. They must be from Kiambu,” Duale stated.
Koinange then linked Duale’s remarks to the controversy surrounding the use of the word hyena, asking whether the CS was referring to the people in question as hyenas.
“So you’re saying they are hyenas? Because you called us hyena,” Koinange remarked.
Duale denied calling Koinange a hyena and brought up the nickname Kasongo, which has been used to refer to President William Ruto.
“I didn’t call you hyena, but you also called the President Kasongo. Kasongo means warthog, so you have called the President warthog for two years. So you have the luxury to call us warthog, but you don’t want to be called hyena,” Duale said.
The exchange prompted laughter as the two continued discussing the controversy and the building collapse.
The controversy behind Duale’s hyena remarks
Duale previously faced criticism over remarks he made during a public address in Lafey Constituency, Mandera County, on July 20, 2026. His comments included a reference to a hyena, which some leaders interpreted as targeting the Kikuyu community.
The remarks drew criticism and calls for accountability over language considered potentially divisive.
Duale defended his comments, maintaining that they had been taken out of context and that his use of the expression was not intended to demean an ethnic community.
During Sunday’s discussion, Koinange directly raised the issue, prompting Duale to compare the controversy with the use of Kasongo to refer to President Ruto.
The exchange brought the earlier dispute back into focus as the two discussed the use of animal names in political exchanges.
Eastleigh and South C building collapses
The discussion came amid renewed scrutiny of construction safety following a building collapse in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Friday, October 23, 2026.
The incident prompted rescue operations and raised questions about construction standards, building approvals and the enforcement of safety regulations.
The two also referred to South C, where a separate building collapse occurred on January 2, 2026. The incident raised questions about compliance with approved building plans and the oversight of construction projects.
