Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claims the National Intelligence Service (NIS) led by Noordin Haji is carrying out abductions and committing extra-judicial killings.
Addressing the nation from Mombasa on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Gachagua fingered NIS for using the criminal justice system to manage politics.
“I want to call upon overzealous heads of security agencies not to be tempted to use the criminal justice system to manage politics. Let us manage politics the conventional way through reaching out consensus and concurrence,” he said.
He expressed concern that NIS was targeting Members of Parliament (MPs) who voted against the controversial Finance Bill 2024, which the government has since withdrawn.
“I am informed that Members of Parliament who voted no have already been targeted by the National Intelligence Service for harassment for their political stand. This is a promise the president and I gave to the people of Kenya that never again shall we use the criminal justice system to manage politics,” Gachagua remarked.
Gachagua criticized the NIS for returning to tactics that President William Ruto’s government had vowed to eliminate, including abductions and extrajudicial killings.
“I want to say that the president and I gave a promise to Kenyans that the issue of abductions and extra-judicial killings will never happen again. Sadly, this is back,” Gachagua said.
High profile abduction
The DP wondered what would happen to ordinary Kenyans, noting that the NIS abducted the son of Attorney General Justin Muturi and held him incommunicado for 18 hours.
“It is unbelievable that the son of the honourable Attorney General of Kenya Justin Bedan Muturi was abducted at night in a commando style by officers of the National Intelligence Service and held incommunicado for 18 hours. Yet that is the honourable Attorney General of the Republic of Kenya, what will happen to other Kenyans,” Gachagua said.
Adding that; “I want to ask the law enforcement agencies to dignify the president and I before the people of Kenya and not backtrack on the promises we made to the people of Kenya. That we shall never again use the criminal justice system to manage politics.”
Further, Gachagua called out NIS Director-General Noordin Haji for plotting to frame him, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and other leaders for the violent protests witnessed on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
“Yesterday Noordin Hajji was trying to put a team together to craft lies and propaganda and attribute the chaos that were in the country to leaders, I included, former President Uhuru Kenyatta and others. Yet it is very clear and the president has admitted that these protests were caused by the anger of the people of Kenya and their refusal of Finance Bill 2024,” Gachagua stated.
Repressive practices
He warned against a return to the repressive practices of the past and urged the NIS to avoid creating propaganda and schemes to undermine political leaders.
“I want to call the National Intelligence Service not to take us back to the dark old days of the Nyayo era when you go there you create propaganda and schemes to undermine leaders and those you don’t agree with,” the DP added.
Gachagua also noted that it took the deadly protests for President Ruto to understand the depth of public discontent, blaming the NIS for misleading the administration.
“It is embarrassing to me as deputy president that it has taken deaths, protests, mayhem, destruction for the president to know the truth yet there is an organization charged with that responsibility.
“I have publicly stated that under this administration Kenyans are free to criticize the government without fear of reprisal by state agencies. This was a promise made by both the president and I when we were sworn in,” Gachagua said.
