Gachagua Alleges NIS Plot to Link Him & Uhuru to Anti-Finance Bill Demos

A side-to-side image of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
A side-to-side image of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Rigathi Gachagua

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday accused National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji of ostensibly hatching a plot to frame him and former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the key financiers and the hidden faces behind the anti-finance bill protests.

Speaking during a live address to the nation from Mombasa, Gachagua stated that the plans flopped, before proceeding to call on state agencies to stop victimising leaders with divergent political views.

During the same press conference, the Deputy President accused Haji of presiding over a dysfunctional intelligence system and blamed him for Tuesday's demos and feeding President William Ruto disjointed intelligence.

"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 charged.

NIS Director General Noordin Haji
NIS Director General Noordin Haji
Reuters

Gachagua further went ahead to blame the NIS for what as he termed as incompetence in briefing security agencies such as the National Police Service (NPS) leading to public anger boiling over culminating in Kenyans breaching Parliament.

Additionally, the DP called on Noordin Haji to resign, stating that he had failed in his mandate.

Gachagua further stated that the NIS had failed to alert the President in good time, specifically, two months before about how Kenyans truly felt about the Finance Bill, 2024.

The Deputy President therefore blamed Haji for the loss of lives and massive destruction of property witnessed on Tuesday.

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

Gachagua also alleged that Noordin pushed out 13 senior directors from their positions after he took over resulting in dysfunctionality within the intelligence service.

Consequently, he requested the President to reinstate the directors and appoint a new Director General to the critical position.

Earlier on Wednesday, President William Ruto announced the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024 in totality.

President William Ruto (right) and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua at the Akurinu Conference in Nakuru.
President William Ruto (right) and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua at the Akurinu Conference in Nakuru.