Senator Onyonka, MP Koech trade barbs over origin of NIS boss Haji

While appearing on Citizen TV's Daybreak show, the legislators went at each other after Koech opined that Haji has been on the receiving end of public ridicule because some of his critics are not pleased with his Somali origin.

"Lately its 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.

"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 the Somali origin as the director of NIS."

His sentiments sparked Onyonka's rage who made a swift rebuttal, arguing that the comments are invoking negative ethnicity and should not be uttered.

"That is profiling, its 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 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 debating on the aftermath of Raila Odinga's loss at the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson contest which was seen NIS boss Haji being among those blamed for the defeat.

Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi shifted blame to Haji and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Sunday, holding that the two should resign for what he terms misleading Odinga in failing to provide intelligence on the odds that were 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 therefore noted that the two should be faulted for "lying and subjecting Baba to a loss that he doesn't deserve.