By: Ishamel Nyanoti
Worth Noting:
- In a significant departure from protocol, the National Assembly committee made a decision to extend special consideration to Haji in regard to disclosures regarding his net worth and sources of income.
- However, upon being requested to avail the information, Haji declined to share and requested that he submits the documents away from the glare of the media.
- Haji citing the sensitivity of his position and the need to safeguard national security, Haji argued that revealing his financial information could potentially be compromising.
- “Considering the sensitivity of the office I am going to hold, I request that I give it to the committee. It may be a national security issue at some point,” he said.
The grilling in Parliament is back just a few weeks after taking a commercial break, the head of state President William Ruto forwarded Haji’s name as his proposed candidate to take off the sensitive seat after serving for close to six years as the director of public prosecution of the Republic of Kenya.
Haji faced huge challenge of answering to questions on the role he played in the withdrawal of several cases linked to high-profile politicians whose cases were withdrawn after President William Ruto assumed into office.
As per the 2010 constitution, Public and state officers are required to declare their financial status and interests during vetting On Tuesday May 30th 2023 Noordin Haji during his vetting in the National Assembly.
National Intelligence Service Director General nominee Noordin Haji, appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations for vetting on Tuesday, The outgoing director of public prosecution Noordin Haji faced the vetting panel in Parliament where he was grilled for his suitability to take up the national intelligence services sit as the director-general.
In a significant departure from protocol, the National Assembly committee made a decision to extend special consideration to Haji in regard to disclosures regarding his net worth and sources of income.
However, upon being requested to avail the information, Haji declined to share and requested that he submits the documents away from the glare of the media.
Haji citing the sensitivity of his position and the need to safeguard national security, Haji argued that revealing his financial information could potentially be compromising.
“Considering the sensitivity of the office I am going to hold, I request that I give it to the committee. It may be a national security issue at some point,” he said.
One of the MPs who were present flagged Haji’s choice of words, saying that the outgoing DPP had already assumed the committee would approve his nomination.
“I have the nominee say ‘the office that I am going to hold’. It is as if we are done with our business and we should close shop and go,” the MP put Haji on the spot, forcing him to apologise and adjust his language.
After consideration, the committee decided to break with tradition and grant Haji an exception, acknowledging the gravity of the concerns raised. The fate of Noordin Haji’s nomination now rests with the National Assembly, as they deliberate on whether to endorse his appointment as the Director General of the National Intelligence Haji is expected to take up his new mandate and lead the country as the new director of the National intelligence service which has come under sharp criticism for failing to combat some of the crimes including the deaths that happened in Shakahola Kilifi county where more than 200 plus bodies have been unburied, and over 500 individuals have been reported missing since the exercise commenced.
Mt Kenya Times