Noordin Haji Must Resign As Director-General- DP Gachagua Calls Out NIS

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has boldly demanded that National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji should resign over what he termed as laxity in disseminating intelligence to President William Ruto.

Speaking during a live press conference in Mombasa, Gachagua on Thursday, June 26 claimed that the country's intelligence system was faulty, blaming the NIS for failing to gather enough intelligence that could have been used to avert the fatal demonstrations on Tuesday.

Gachagua pinned the blame on Haji, the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for failing to gather accurate intelligence which led to Ruto receiving unactionable information.

Former DPP Noordin Haji. /THE STAR

"Noordin Haji must take responsibility for the deaths, mayhem, failing President Ruto and Kenya for not doing his job. He must do the honourable thing, not just taking responsibility but resign," Gachagua stated. 

"We have a dysfunctional NIS that has exposed the government and the people of Kenya. Had the NIS briefed the president two months ago about how the people of Kenya feel about the Finance Bill 2024, so many Kenyans would not have died. There would have been no mayhem, but they slept on the job."

Gachagua further claimed that the brewing rage that led to Kenyans storming Parliament was the most evident sign of failure since such actions had never been witnessed before in Kenya's history.

He also claimed that a day before his press conference, Noordin Haji was trying to put up a team together to drive propaganda and attribute the chaos to a section of targeted leaders including him and former President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

"Yesterday, Noordin Haji was trying to put up a team together and propaganda and attribute the chaos to leaders including myself and former President Uhuru Kenyatta. It is very clear and the President has admitted that the protests were caused by the anger of Kenyans on the Finance Bill," Gachagua added.

He also blamed the NIS for what he termed as incompetence in the briefing of security officers leading to the breach in Parliament, an event never seen before in the country's history.

"Senior officers have told me in confidence they did not have an advance intelligence brief so that they prepare in advance," stated Gachagua.

Gachagua's sentiments come hours after President William Ruto announced that he had conceded and would not sign the Finance Bill 2024.

The Head of State, while speaking during a press briefing at State House on Wednesday, June 26, announced that he has returned the bill to Parliament for further amendments. 

Ruto had announced that his administration had heard the cry of the citizens who were demanding that he drop the bill in its entirety and reduce the cost of living.