A bitter public exchange between Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi has intensified, with the prominent lawyer issuing a detailed and scathing response to the legislator’s earlier attack.
The latest round of the feud comes days after Sudi launched a personal tirade against Ahmednasir, accusing him of hypocrisy and misconduct.
The remarks sparked widespread debate, prompting the senior counsel to respond with a strongly worded statement defending his criticism and approach to public discourse.
Ahmednasir maintained that his interventions in political debates are consistent and not targeted at any one individual or faction.
“I always call out idiots on both sides of the political divide, and I am measured in my condemnation of both,” he said, framing himself as an equal-opportunity critic of Kenya’s political class.
He explained that his engagement with leaders varies depending on their background, particularly their education and exposure.
In a pointed remark, Ahmednasir said his approach to leaders from the Mt. Kenya region is shaped by his long interaction with them during his time at the University of Nairobi.
“In addressing the political elites from Mt. Kenya, I take cognisance of their education and general outlook. After all, I met many of them at the University of Nairobi as a student and later as a teacher,” he stated.
However, his comments took a sharper tone when referring to Sudi, drawing a controversial comparison that is likely to fuel further debate.
“The rare moments I address Hon Sudi and his ilk, I do so as I address the herdsmen who look after my camels in Bangal—slowly, carefully, with a calibrated mix of languages, gestures, and illustrations,” Ahmednasir said.
He added that simplifying complex ideas for audiences with limited formal education is a necessary responsibility, particularly in a country with unequal access to schooling in previous decades.
“It isn’t easy, but we have a cardinal duty to break down difficult ideas and simplify them for less fortunate members of our community who were born before President Mwai Kibaki introduced free compulsory primary education,” he said.
Despite the harsh criticism, Ahmednasir sought to soften his remarks by acknowledging what he described as Sudi’s personal qualities.
“Both Hon Sudi and my herdsmen in Bangal are smart, good, and decent men. Unfortunately, both just didn’t have relatives to take them to primary school,” he stated.
He warned against what he termed as discriminatory attitudes toward individuals with limited educational opportunities.
“It would be cruel to treat them as children of a lesser god. I, for one, refuse to do so,” he added.