President William Ruto has dismissed claims that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) did not provide adequate intelligence before the youth-led anti-finance bill protests on Tuesday. He said there were adequate intelligence reports that criminal elements were planning to infiltrate the peaceful protests.
“We had information, and that is why we prepared in the manner that we did. If we had not prepared, we would be counting different numbers of those who died,” he said. The Head of State spoke on Sunday at the State House during a media round table interview. He said that criminals mobilized heavily in a bid to cause mayhem disguised as peaceful protesters.
“Many of the young people left town by 10 p.m. when they realized that a suspicious group had infiltrated them,” he said. DP Gachagua had said that had Noordin Haji, the NIS Director General, properly informed the president of the widespread public opposition to the Bill, Ruto would not have forwarded it to Parliament, avoiding the nationwide protests that erupted on Tuesday, culminating in protesters storming Parliament.
“People had to die, property was destroyed, and protests were held to let the President know how Kenyans felt, but there is an organisation funded by Kenyans to inform the president and the public about Kenyan sentiments.” “Officers from the National Police Service (NPS) have told me in confidence that they did not receive advance intelligence briefs about the magnitude of the protests. Never have protesters invaded Parliament.”
Gachagua continued his tirade, harshly criticising Haji, claiming that he was unfit and lacked the qualifications for the top position in the NIS.
“When he (Haji) was appointed to the office of the Director General, he chased away all the people who were senior to him when he was in the service because of an inferiority complex, crippling NIS and making it dysfunctional,” he said. “Three directors were chased away and reassigned to desk jobs across the government. 13 assistant directors, men and women with proven track records of intelligence and analysis, were removed from the NIS leaving a shell under a clueless Director General with no capacity to run the organisation. That is why the security sector was caught off guard by the intensity of the protests. Had Noordin Haji done his job; we would not be where we are today.”
