During a tense parliamentary impeachment motion hearing on Tuesday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua delivered a scathing critique of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
He cited the deadly anti-government protests triggered by the controversial Finance Bill 2024 as a critical failure of the agency.
Gachagua stated, “We were caught flat-footed. The NIS should have gauged public dissatisfaction.”
He argued that the agency’s lack of foresight led to a failure to brief President Ruto before the protests erupted. “Had they acted, we could have altered our approach to the bill,” he insisted.
The Deputy President emphasized the tragic consequences of this oversight. “The ensuing protests resulted in loss of innocent lives and destruction of property. These could have been avoided,” Gachagua added.
His comments came during a media briefing in Mombasa, where he reiterated the importance of accountability within intelligence agencies.
“Criticizing the NIS for their failures is standard practice worldwide. They must answer for their actions,” he asserted.
He pointed to several troubling incidents, including extrajudicial killings and abductions, asserting that diligent action from the NIS could have prevented these tragedies.
“The Constitution mandates that all government agencies, including the NIS, are accountable to the Kenyan people. Holding them responsible for dereliction of duty does not undermine them,” Gachagua stated emphatically.
He highlighted the Kenya Kwanza government’s commitment to accountability. “President Ruto has consistently reprimanded officials for failing to meet expectations,” he remarked, recalling instances where the President demanded explanations for tardiness at official events.
Gachagua also recalled his own past criticisms as Deputy President.
He referenced Ruto’s public questioning of former Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai’s competence and a media article critiquing the NIS Director General. “We hold officials accountable. The current NIS boss is not above the law,” Gachagua concluded.
