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Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, who was last week nominated as the new Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) will on Tuesday next week appear before MPs for vetting.

In a notice, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge said the National Assembly’s departmental committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations will conduct the vetting.

The team chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech will be expected to table its report to the House for either approval or rejection once sittings resume on June 6.

“It is notified to the general public that pursuant to the provisions of Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution, Section 7(1) of the National Intelligence Service Act, 2012 and section 6(4) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011, the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations of the National Assembly shall conduct the approval hearing (vetting) of the nominee for appointment as the Director-General, National Intelligence Service on Tuesday 30th May 2023 in the Mini-Chamber,  County Hall, Parliament Buildings,” said Njoroge.

Wananchi now have up to Monday, May 29, to submit representations they may have, by way of written statements on oath (affidavits) with supporting evidence, contesting the suitability of the nominee for appointment as the NIS boss.

Public participation

The approval hearings will be in line with Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution which requires Parliament to facilitate public participation in the legislative and other business of Parliament and its Committees as well as Section 6(9) of the Parliamentary Appointments  (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011 which provides that any person may prior to the approval hearing and by written statement on oath, provide the Clerk with evidence contesting the suitability of a candidate to hold the office to which the  candidate has been nominated”.

Noordin will be required to submit to the committee with the original identity card, academic and professional certificates and other relevant testimonials.

Further he will also be required to obtain letters/certificates of compliance from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.

Vetting exercise

 The vetting exercise comes hardly a week after Ruto nominated Haji as the new Director General of the NIS.

“Consequently, it is notified that Excellency the President has, in accordance with Section 7 (1) of the National Intelligence Service Act, nominated Noordin Hajl, CBS, for appointment as the Director-General of the National Intelligence Service,” Ruto said.

 Haji who serves as the current DPP is set to return to the NIS after six years of serving as DPP

 Before being the DPP, he served as Deputy Director of the Counter Organised Crime Unit within the National Intelligence Service.

He holds a Bachelor of Law and Masters degree from the University of Wales, Cardiff, he also holds a second Masters Degree in National Security Policy with Merit from the Australian National University.

 Haji was admitted to the Bar in 1999 and thereafter joined the Public Service in January 2000, working at the Attorney General’s Office.

 Haji’s nomination comes ahead of the retirement of Maj-Gen (Rtd) Philip Wachira Kameru, the outgoing Director-General.

Kameru was appointed in September 2014 after an illustrious military career.