I learned from my boss in criticizing security chiefs, Gachagua says of remarks against Spy Chief Haji » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8 – Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended his public criticism of the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Noordin Haji, asserting that his stance follows the example set by President William Ruto.
During a parliamentary impeachment motion hearing on Tuesday, Gachagua cited the deadly anti-government protests that erupted in response to the Finance Bill 2024 as evidence of NIS’s failures.
He argued that the country was “caught flat-footed” due to the agency’s inability to gauge public dissatisfaction.
“I am convinced that the National Intelligence Service should have foreseen that the public was vehemently opposed to the Finance Bill. They ought to have briefed the President before the protests began, which could have prompted a change in government strategy regarding the bill. The ensuing protests, which resulted in loss of innocent lives and destruction of property, could have been avoided,” Gachagua stated.
He emphasized that his criticism of the NIS during a media briefing in Mombasa is not unusual, noting that accountability for intelligence agencies in the face of failure is common practice in many countries.
Gachagua also pointed to several instances of extrajudicial killings, abductions, and disappearances, arguing that if the NIS had “acted diligently,” such incidents could have been prevented.
“The Constitution mandates that all government agencies, including the NIS, are accountable to the Kenyan people. Calling them out for a dereliction of duty does not undermine them,” he asserted.
He highlighted that the Kenya Kwanza government has consistently held officials accountable when they fail to meet expectations. Gachagua referenced an instance where President Ruto publicly reprimanded Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries for arriving late to a performance contract signing, demanding written explanations for their tardiness.
Additionally, he recalled a time when, as Deputy President, Ruto questioned the competence of former Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and referenced a media article where Ruto openly criticized the NIS Director General.
“President Ruto, my boss, and I have been calling out senior government officials when they fall short of expectations. The current NIS boss is not exempt from scrutiny. He is not above the law and is accountable to the people of Kenya for his performance,” Gachagua concluded.
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