Senator Onyonka, UDA’s Koech Clash Over NIS boss Haji’s Persona
Belgut Member of Parliament Nelson Koech and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka spat on Monday over comments made about National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Daybreak Show, the politicians argued after Koech stated that Haji has faced public criticism because some of his detractors are dissatisfied with his Somali heritage.
“Lately it’s become very fashionable to attack NIS and the persona of Noordin Haji. It is because of the sheer ignorance of people. They do not understand the role of National Intelligence,” Koech stated.
MP Koech: Some people are uncomfortable about having a Somali, Noordin Haji, as the Director-General of the NIS
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 17, 2025
Senator Onyonka: This is profiling and negative ethnicity
MP Koech: Stop being a bully. Shut up and allow me to speak#CitizenDayBreak @SamGituku pic.twitter.com/YSkDXzI0Aj
“Noordin Haji is brutally efficient and that is why people have a problem with him particularly people from certain quotas feel uncomfortable that for once we have someone from Somali origin as the director of NIS.”
His words enraged Onyonka, who responded quickly, claiming that the comments incited negative ethnicity and should not have been made.
“That is profiling, it is negative ethnicity. We have no problem with the Somalis, we have a problem of bad governance,” Onyonka noted provoking a fiery dialogue between the duo.
MP Nelson Koech: Raila Odinga was the ideal candidate for the AUC chairmanship. However, it has become easier to criticize the role of the National Intelligence Service. People have issues with Noordin Haji because he is brutally efficient #CitizenDayBreak @SamGituku pic.twitter.com/FVh4czYIpQ
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 17, 2025
MP Koech said: “Stop being a bully, can you allow me to speak? Just shut up and allow me to speak.”
Onyonka replied: “Don’t say those things on TV. Don’t say them. Kenyans have no problem with Somalis.”
They were discussing the aftermath of Raila Odinga’s loss at the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson contest, which was observed by NIS boss Haji being among those blamed for the defeat.
Caleb Amisi, a Saboti Member of Parliament, blamed Haji and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Sunday.
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He said that the two should resign for allegedly misleading Odinga by failing to share intelligence on the chances stacked against him in the tight race.
“The purpose of NIS is to provide intelligence useful to help the country safeguard her sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as achieve her objectives,” he wrote on X.
“In this AUC campaign, Noordin Haji failed miserably. By now Musalia and Haji should have resigned for lying and subjecting Baba to a loss that he doesn’t deserve!”
He so stated that the two should be held accountable for “lying and subjecting Baba to a loss that he does not deserve.”
Senator Onyonka, UDA’s Koech Clash Over NIS boss Haji’s Persona
