From: Ouko joachim
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

Majority of Kenyan population will agree with NARC Kenya chairperson, Martha Karua that it will be impossible for President Uhuru Kenyatta to sack NIS boss Michael Gichangi, not only because he was appointed on basis of tribal, but because Gichangi is his confidante.

Karua has sensationally said President Uhuru Kenyatta and National Intelligence Service (NIS) boss, Brigadier Michael Gichangi, are incompetent on how they have handled country’s security matters especially Saturday’s Westgate terror attack.

On her twitter account on Thursday, Karua put blame on the NIS head over the deteriorating security in the country, saying that if the NIS was active and competent, Westgate’s terrorists attack could have been prevented from happening.

Like Karua, members of the National Assembly have also accused the National Intelligence Service of laxity, saying the agency’s director General Michael Gichangi has failed to lead from the front.

Political analyst, Mutahi Ngunyi looks at it in different way. He wants Kenyatta, not only to fire Gichangi, but also Chief of General Staff, General Julius Karangi and Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Ole Lenku for their incompetence over Westgate Mall’s terrorist attack.

On his twitter account on Wednesday, Mutahi said Uhuru has no option but to sack the three generals if he wants the country’s security to improve.

This is not the first time Gichangi has been blamed for sleeping on his job. In November 2009 former Prime Minister Raila Odinga accused him of misleading President Kibaki and “poisoning” his ears with anti-US and anti-reform information.

If we can go with what Mohammed Ali and his Jicho pevu revealed in their investigative journalism, expressing fears that NIS, led by Michael Gichangi may have contributed widely to a failed probe of Prof George Saitoti’s death, then you can immediately tell how difficult will be for Kenyatta to do away with Gichangi.

Even though a country’s intelligence service should be its’ pride and everybody should be confident that the nation’s intelligence network is well able to take care of the beloved motherland’s national security, with this background it seems that NIS works for some private agenda and malicious mission.

Apparently, that is why the NIS does not have any clue as to what was going on with insecurity in the country. It explains why Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko has also accused the National Intelligence Service of culpability in Saturday’s Westgate attack.

Sonko claimed in the Senate that he had two months ago warned the NIS of the imminent attacks but he was ignored. Sonko who made the remarks when the House adjourned to debate the attack in which 69 people died told the Senate that he had received information concerning the attacks from three Asian women, who reside in Westlands and Parklands areas.

He said he had then furnished NIS with information detailing the suspected terrorists, who had planned to bomb two private entities and two key national installations, adding that the women had told him that terror attacks were imminent at Westgate and Village Market shopping malls and the two Houses of Parliament.

There has been speculation over Gichangi’s possible re-appointment by former President Mwai Kibaki despite objection from PM Raila Odinga following claims that evidence given by the intelligence agency to the Waki commission may have led to the incrimination of key government officials.

Among those the ICC wanted to indict were the Head of the Public Service Francis Muthaura and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. Others were Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey, William Ruto of Eldoret North, Post Master General Maj-Gen (rtd) Hussein Ali and Kass FM radio presenter Joshua arap Sang.

If this was the case then it is very clear that Gichangi was appointed for impunity and not the interest of Kenyan people. Among those who have served as intelligence chiefs in Kenya are the late James Kanyotu and Brigadier (rtd) Wilson Boinett.

Under the new Constitution enacted by parliament to govern its functions is known as the National Intelligence Service (NIS), along with other security organs that include the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police Service. The NIS Director General is a key advisor to the President on matters of national security.

The National Intelligence Service is responsible for security intelligence and counter intelligence to enhance national security in accordance with the Constitution. In the past, it was known as the Special Branch (SB).

Major General Gichangi took over from Brigadier (rtd) Boinett on January 20, 2006 when he also held the rank of Brigadier. He was formerly director of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre and had a career in the Kenya Air Force, since 1977.

Boinett’s replacement by Gichangi was speculated by some sections of Kenyan people, not only as a process that reeks of tribal cronyism and the use of all instruments of power so that Kibaki could stay in power through (and beyond) the 2007 elections, but also help him cover up some malicious agenda.

Boinett’s removal took Kenyans by surprise despite the fact that he transformed the NSIS from a domestic political tool into a modern professional intelligence service with an emphasis on external threats.

Recognizing that change was needed, Boinett’s leadership garnered the NSIS domestic and international respect for its relative apolitical nature and seriousness of purpose.

Boinett was distrusted from the start of the Kibaki administration by many of his close tribesmen. That is why Kibaki insisted that Gichangi had to be reappointed NIS for another five years term whether Raila wanted it or not.

Brigadier Michael Gichangi is an ethnic Kikuyu, the President’s tribe which (along with the smaller, affiliated Embu and Meru tribes from the Mt. Kenya area) has an increasing lock on major power positions in both Kibaki and Uhuru government.

Gichangi is reportedly close to both former Cabinet Secretary Muthaura and former Security Minister Christopher Murungaru. It explains why during his concluded tenure as head of the National Counter-Terrorism Center, Gichangi fought tooth and nail against the creation of a Joint Terrorism Task Force designed to bring police, prosecutors and intelligence experts into a joint team.

Relatively new to NIS, Gichangi is as well-known for being a political operator as he is a military professional. Born September 9, 1958 in Kirinyaga District, Central Province, Gichangi joined the Kenyan Air Force as an F-5 pilot in 1977. In 1982 he became an F-5 instructor.

From 1986-1991, Gichangi served as a staff officer (planning) at KDoD Headquarters, Nairobi. He worked in a UN observer force in Iraq, 1992-93. He served as an instructor at the Defence Staff College, 1993-96 in Karen, Nairobi.

From 1996-97, Gichangi served as a commanding officer of the Air Force’s Flying Wing. He then served as Commander of the Laikipia Air Base, 1997-2001, before being appointed chief of strategic plans and policy at KDoD Headquarters, where he helped draft the first version of KDoD’s “White Paper” on national defense strategy.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002