Deputy President Gachagua Demands NIS Director’s Resignation

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for the resignation of the Director-General of National Intelligence Noordin Haji for his serious failure to provide timely and accurate formation on widespread public opposition to the 2024 Finance Bill. At a press conference in Mombasa,
Gachagua expressed his deep disappointment in the NIS saying President William Ruto may have reconsidered his support for the bill if he had been given sufficient information in advance.

Gachagua stressed that “we have an organisation that is funded by the people to provide such important information,” which he considered to be the fundamental responsibility of the NIS. He went on to say that the NIS was disfunctional and blamed it for failing the Kenyan government and people at a critical juncture.

Gachagua further claimed that the national police authorities had confided in him that there was no timely intelligence reporting on the scale of the protests indicating serious communication and coordination gaps between security agencies. “The intelligence agencies are failing in their core mission and the reason is clear- Noordin Haji is not fit to lead the organisation and as a result the security sector is no prepared,” he claimed.

Gachagua directly blamed Noordin Haji for the deaths during the protests claiming that Haji’s failure of leadership has not only brought down President Ruto but the whole of Kenya. Gachagua therefore demanded that Haji take responsibility and resign.

As well as criticising the NIS, Gachagua also urged young people to reconsider their protest plans. “Please as a concerned father, I beg you my sons and daughters to make a public statement and stop protesting,” he urged expressing deep concern over a possible escalation of tensions and violence.

Gachagua further highlighted the far-reaching impact of intelligence failures saying they affect national security and governance. He stressed the need for competent leadership to restore public confidence in the NIS and to ensure such failures are not repeated.”

Gachagua’s comments reflect a clear stance on the need for accountability in Kenya’s security and intelligence sectors. He argues that the demand for Noordin Haji’s resignation was due to serious failures in intelligence gathering and communication that contributed to the government’s mishandling of the public opposition to the 2024 Finance Bill.