Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has termed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s criticism of NIS boss Noordin Haji irresponsible and an attempt to use the intelligence chief as a scapegoat.
In a statement on Thursday, the governor further said the DP's utterances expose the country, the institution of the Presidency and security agencies to ridule.
Gachagua on Wednesday called for Haji’s resignation over his alleged failure to brief President William Ruto on the magnitude of Tuesday’s deadly anti-Finance Bill protests that left several people dead.
Speaking Wednesday evening at his residence in Mombasa, Gachagua said the alleged failure for Haji to brief the President on the country’s mood on the Finance Bill “has exposed the President, the government and the people of Kenya”.
"Had the National Intelligence Service briefed the President two months ago about how the people feel about the Finance Bill, 2024, so many Kenyans would not have died, property would not have been destroyed, offices would not have been destroyed. There would have been no mayhem, but they slept on the job.”
Governor Nassir said the DP bears significant responsibility for what transpired by virtue of chairing all cabinet sub-committees including one on the defunct Finance Bill, 2024.
“Gachagua cannot claim ignorance of the public mood regarding over-taxation when he was at the front leading this conversation until his recent political schism with his partners in the Kenya Kwanza Administration,” the governor said in a statement on Thursday.
He said by choosing to publicly prosecute national security issues in the public domain, the DP went against the oath he swore to preserve and protect Kenya’s national unity and security.
The utterances, he said, expose the country, the Presidency and security agencies to ridicule and potential exploitation by enemies.
“It is regrettable that the Deputy President would casually discuss sensitive security matters in public instead of in the constitutional body - the National Security Council - in which he is a member. This current narrative against Haji is a weak attempt at creating a political scapegoat for internal differences within his political formation,” Nassir said.
According to the governor, responsibility over “the reckless manner in which our young people were handled by the police over the past week” should be taken by the Inspector General of Police not the NIS chief.
“Kenyans watched in horror as young people were killed and others were abducted as they exercised their democratic rights,” he said.
“We call upon the Deputy President to follow the lead of our young people and focus on issues rather than using this solemn moment in history to fight personal wars,” Nassir added.