National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji has painted a grim picture of Kenya’s current security landscape, urging Parliament to approve the Sh65 billion requested in the agency’s budget for the 2024/25 financial year.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech, Haji underscored the crucial role of security agencies in protecting the country’s sovereignty, stability, and territorial integrity.
He warned that ongoing budget shortfalls could severely hamper national defence efforts, especially at a time when Kenya faces increasing hostilities from elements in some neighbouring states. “I am saddened that we do not take our national security seriously. Over the past decade, the security sector has not received sufficient funding to procure adequate equipment to defend the country. This should not be taken lightly,” said Haji.
In a rare show of transparency, Haji disclosed financial details of the agency’s allocations, revealing that the NIS had been granted Sh51 billion—Sh14 billion short of the Sh65 billion originally requested.
He explained that while the NIS continues to supply intelligence to keep Kenyans safe, other frontline security agencies that rely on this intelligence must also be properly equipped to combat emerging threats such as terrorism, transnational crime, and cyber warfare.
Bridging the funding gap, Haji argued, is not only critical to the operations of the NIS but also to the broader national preparedness in a volatile global security climate. “The country has faced threats from Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda, which we have managed to thwart. It is only Tanzania that has posed no threat. That is why I get emotional when it appears that we do not value our safety,” he said.
Haji noted that Sh33 billion had been allocated for personnel emoluments, Sh5.5 billion for modernising intelligence infrastructure, Sh4.5 billion for surveillance expansion, and Sh2.5 billion for multi-agency security operations.
A request for Sh1 billion to recruit new, highly trained personnel across various sectors was not approved. Haji stressed that such investment is crucial for enhancing national safety. “The age of disinformation and misinformation is a real threat to national stability. Investment in staff training and modern infrastructure is no longer optional,” he added.
