This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's government has seen a trend of appointing former military and intelligence chiefs to top jobs in strategic state institutions, raising eyebrows within government circles.
One such individual is Gordon Kihalangwa, a former state spy who has been transferred to various positions, including Immigration director, PS Immigration, Defence, and now Public Works.
Since Uhuru won a second term in office in 2017, Kihalangwa's tenure in government has been marked by frequent transfers, sparking concerns about his role in the government.
As a trained spy, Kihalangwa was hailed for installing professionalism in the management of passports, but his agenda with Uhuru remains unclear.
Decorated ex-soldiers and top spies have been favored by President Kenyatta in appointments, with at least 10 senior positions under his administration being filled by former military and intelligence men.
These appointments include the Office of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Immigration Services, the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Firearms Licencing Board, the Kenya Coast Guard Service, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), and the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
Notably, the new boss of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), James Mburu, served as a Commissioner for Intelligence and Strategic Operations before his appointment by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Uhuru has also established the Multi-Agency Taskforce (MAT) to coordinate security and investigation issues, which includes officials from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), NIS, FRC, EACC, ODPP, the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA), and the Attorney General.
Members of the MAT include at least four spies: DPP Noordin Haji, FRC Director-General Saitoti Maika, NIS boss Philip Kameru, and EACC chief executive officer Twalib Mbarak, as well as DCI George Kinoti, a career detective.
