NAIROBI, (SONNA) — President William Ruto has nominated Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji as the next Director-General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Haji will succeed of Major-General (Rtd) Philip Wachira Kameru who has held the position for over 8 years.
The announcement was made Tuesday by the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
“ IT IS NOTIFIED that His Excellency the President has, in accordance with Section 7 (1) of the National Intelligence Service Act, nominated Mr. Noordin Haji, CBS, for appointment as the Director-General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS),” Koskei said.
Haji will be returning to the NIS after a six-year sojourn as the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Before becoming the nation’s top public prosecutor, Haji served as the Deputy Director of the Counter Organized Crime Unit in the NIS.
Koskei said Tuesday’s presidential action is to facilitate transition of the apex leadership of our National Intelligence Service, ahead of Kameru’s retirement.
The outgoing spy chief, Kameru, was appointed Director-General in September 2014 after an illustrious military career; having risen through the ranks to the position of Director of Military Intelligence in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
In the position, Koskei said Kameru provided “outstanding leadership that earned him international accolades.”
“UNDER MAJOR-GENERAL (RTD) KAMERU’S WATCH, Kenya’s premier civilian intelligence agency has made monumental strides in the fight against terrorism, transnational crimes and other major threats to our national and regional security,’ the Head of Public Service, who doubles up as Ruto’s Chief of Staff, said.
Koskei went on to say that Kameru has been at the forefront of guiding special security assignments and multi-agency coordination that have made Kenya, and indeed the region, more secure.
Haji holds the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) and Master of Laws (LL.M) degrees from the University of Wales, Cardiff.
Additionally, he holds a second Masters Degree in National Security Policy with Merit (MNSPO) from the Australian National University.
Haji was admitted to the Bar in 1999, and thereafter joined the Public Service in January 2000 as a State Counsel at the Attorney General’s Office.
Haji’s nomination has since been transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration by Parliament, in fulfilment of the legal requirements set out under the Constitution and the National Intelligence Service Act.
Source: Capital News
