Gachagua Accuses NIS Chief Haji of Misleading President Ruto with ‘Doctored’ Intelligence

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified his criticism of Noordin Haji, the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), accusing him of providing President William Ruto with “doctored intelligence” that has led to misguided decisions and contributed to the president’s declining popularity.

In an interview on the popular ObinnaTV podcast on Friday, Gachagua described the NIS as “dysfunctional” and claimed Haji manipulates intelligence to present an overly positive picture of public sentiment.

“I speak with intelligence officers across the country who report raw data showing public hostility toward the administration,” Gachagua said.

“But Noordin’s daily briefs to the president suggest everything is fine, which is far from the truth.”

Gachagua cited the 2024 Finance Bill protests as an example, claiming he warned Ruto against pushing the bill due to widespread opposition but was ignored in favor of Haji’s advice.

“The protests caught the president by surprise because he trusted Noordin over my counsel,” he alleged. Gachagua further described Haji as a “businessman” prioritizing personal deals, including with the Adani Group, over national interests, though he provided no evidence to support this claim.

The former deputy president also questioned Haji’s qualifications, linking Ruto’s waning public support to the NIS chief’s alleged misguidance.

“Two years ago, Ruto was a beloved leader. Now everywhere you go, people are chanting ‘Ruto must go,’” Gachagua said. “I told the president that Noordin is not fit for this role.”

Gachagua’s allegations echo his earlier criticisms of Haji, notably during the 2024 Finance Bill protests, when he accused the NIS of failing to anticipate public unrest.

At the time, he also claimed Haji falsely linked him and former President Uhuru Kenyatta to the protests, an accusation Haji dismissed as baseless.

These repeated claims suggest Gachagua may be targeting Haji to undermine Ruto’s inner circle, possibly to bolster his own influence in the Mount Kenya region, where he retains significant support among the Kikuyu community.

However, Gachagua’s accusations lack specific evidence.

He provided no examples of falsified intelligence or documentation to substantiate his claims, raising questions about their credibility.

His history of inflammatory statements since his October 2024 impeachment, including unsubstantiated allegations in April 2025 that Ruto facilitated money laundering through Nairobi, further complicates the reliability of his narrative.

Political context

Gachagua during his appearance on ObinnaTV from his home in Wamunyoro.

Gachagua’s remarks come amid heightened political tensions in Kenya, with Ruto’s administration facing criticism over governance, economic challenges, and alleged human rights abuses, including reported abductions of government critics.

Allegations of NIS involvement in cases like the 2024 abduction of cabinet minister Leslie Muturi’s son have fueled public distrust in the agency, lending some context to Gachagua’s claims of dysfunction.

However, these issues do not directly corroborate his specific allegations of doctored intelligence.

For Gachagua, the accusations serve to discredit Ruto’s leadership while positioning himself as a political contender ahead of future elections.

At 59, he appears to be leveraging his Mount Kenya base to stage a comeback, though his focus on Haji, a figure from a minority community, risks accusations of tribalism, as seen in 2024 criticisms from former Mombasa Governor and now Mining Secretary Hassan Joho.

For Ruto, the allegations challenge his administration’s cohesion.

Haji remains a key ally, as evidenced by their January 2025 meeting amid abduction allegations.

Haji’s 2024 statement that he reports directly to Ruto suggests Gachagua, even as deputy president, may have had limited insight into NIS operations, potentially weakening his current claims.

The secretive nature of the NIS makes verifying claims of doctored intelligence difficult without access to classified briefings.

While the agency’s failure to predict the scale of the 2024 protests has drawn legitimate criticism, Gachagua’s allegations remain speculative without concrete evidence.

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