Moses Kuria: Gachagua chaired meeting that endorsed original Finance Bill

A collage of CS Moses Kuria and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

In what is turning out to be a series of blame games, Public Service CS Moses Kuria on Wednesday, June 27, 2024, called out Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for lying to Kenyans.

Through his X account, Kuria said the DP chaired a meeting that endorsed the controversial Finance Bill, contrary to what he was telling the nation.

“The Committee meeting that endorsed the original Finance Bill which included VAT for milk and bread was chaired by the Deputy President.

“What a lying, dishonourable man!” he wrote.

This came just hours after Gachagua had called a presser, laying blame on National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji for failing to advise the President.

The DP said Haji was incompetent and called for his resignation amid the chaos that was witnessed earlier this week when protesters stormed parliament.

"I sympathise with President Ruto because this information was not available to him. NIS is mandated to provide such information and that is where the problem is; we have a dysfunctional NIS that has exposed the President, the government and the people of Kenya," said Gachagua.

"Noordin Haji must take responsibility for the deaths that have occurred, the mayhem witnessed and for failing Ruto, the government and Kenya by not doing his job and advising correctly. He must not just take responsibility but resign from that office and allow the president to pick a competent DG.”

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He further questioned Haji’s credentials to lead such a critical office and accused him of chasing away his seniors after he was appointed Director General.

"When he (Haji) was appointed to the office of the Director General, he chased away all the people who were senior to him when he was in the service because of an inferiority complex, crippling NIS and making it dysfunctional," he said.

President William Ruto had earlier said he would not sign the Finance Bill into law after listening to ‘the voice of the people’.

Backed by MPs allied to his UDA party, the head of state directed immediate measures to reduce expenditure starting with the Office of the President.

He also directed a reduction in operational expenditure in the presidency, cutting allocations for travel, hospitality, vehicle purchases, renovations, and other expenses.

"Listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill 2024, I concede, and therefore I will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn,” said Ruto.