Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended his controversial remark on the wearing of hijabs by Muslim girls and women in the country, saying it was taken out of context.
While speaking at the launch of the International Quran Competition at Sir Ali Muslim Club in Nairobi on Tuesday, December 20, Duale insisted that Muslim women must always wear hijabs, whenever in public.
“If you have a problem with our girls, wives and sisters wearing Hijab, and you are in Kenya, then you better leave this country because they will wear Hijab,” said Duale.
The CS continued in the Somali dialect saying: “Our girls will wear Hijab, what’s wrong. Isn’t it that way? For those who don’t wear Hijab and are Muslims, they should hear me, if you don’t wear Hijab and you want to be naked, look for other countries. Yes. Look for other countries.”
Nonetheless, Duale has downplayed the public uproar on his remarks adding that he was specifically addressing Muslim girls and women on the importance of adhering to religious practice.
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Moreover, the Defence CS Also said the government will ensure that Muslim culture is respected.
However, the Tuesday remark is not the first time the former Garissa Township MP is coming out boldly to defend the wearing of the hijab, a scarf worn by Muslim women to cover the hair and neck.
While he was an MP in 2019, Duale warned school heads in his constituency against banning Muslim students from wearing hijabs.
According to him, banning of hijabs amounts to religious discrimination and a violation of the students’ constitutional rights.
