Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has opened up about his relationship with President William Ruto.
Going down memory lane on Wednesday, Duale said the two met while they were members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
"William Ruto and I met in ODM, we became victims of Baba, we found that we share more and agree more," he said.
Duale is one of Ruto’s close allies with their relationship dating back to before 2013 when the Jubilee party took over.
CS Duale and Ruto who were ODM rebels left the Raila Odinga-led party and formed the United Republican Party, which entered into a coalition agreement with The National Alliance to form Jubilee.
Going further, the CS showered the President with praises and explained why he can call Ruto a friend.
"I'm not praising him because he is my boss but William Ruto is a decent politician, he keeps friends and he respects them," Duale said.
The former Garissa Township MP also described President Ruto as a man who is very consultative in decision-making.
Duale has come out as one of Ruto's close allies and their bond grew even deeper while he was the Deputy President.
The former Garissa Township MP was once very close with retired president Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, Duale had earlier revealed that his friendship with Ruto was put to task when Uhuru started being uncomfortable with his decision to oppose the Building Bridges Initiative.
The CS said Uhuru took issue with his affiliation with Ruto's Tanga Tanga camp which was critical of the Uhuru's attempt to amend the Constitution through BBI.
Duale said the Jubilee party leader frankly asked him to pick a side, noting that he had split his loyalty and had to decide between him and Ruto who was then the deputy president.
"So I said I cannot coalesce around a group that wants to humiliate, demean and despise the character and the stature of the office of the Deputy President," he said.
"I told him, I am ready to go. Let me relinquish myself as the leader of the majority."
Duale said he became the leader of the majority courtesy of URP.
"I said I am a Muslim. All of Ruto's political life, he has done good deeds for me and my family,” he said.
On June 22, 2020, Duale was removed as Majority Leader of the National Assembly during a Jubilee Coalition Parliamentary Group meeting chaired by Uhuru.