Underfunded security forces leave Kenya vulnerable to cross-border threat- Haji
He warned that the continued underfunding of security agencies is weakening the country’s ability to defend itself.
Kenya is ill-equipped to protect its borders from growing regional threats, the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Noordin Haji, has told a parliamentary committee.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on Monday, Haji said the country’s security forces lack modern equipment and resources, leaving communities near borders vulnerable to attacks and incursions.
He warned that the continued underfunding of security agencies is weakening the country’s ability to defend itself against organized cross-border threats.
"If you look at Uganda, you have the Karamajong' and other tribes coming into Kenya to undertake cattle rustling. They have encroached in some of our lands. In South Sudan there is the proliferation of small arms, we have to face that," Haji said.
"In Ethiopia there is the Oromo Liberation Army, they are occupying our territory and we are forced to deal with them but when you look at the kind of equipment that we have as a security sector it is really wanting and I think as a country we need to decide whether we are serious and whether we want to ensure that we are giving the security that Kenya deserves," he added.
Haji noted that the military has not received new equipment for over a decade, raising concerns about Kenya’s readiness to counter growing external threats.
While presenting the NIS budget for the 2025/2026 financial year, Haji said the agency had requested Sh65 billion, but only received Sh51 billion — a shortfall he warned could limit strategic operations.
"The security organs need to be fully funded to effectively execute their defense, intelligence, and national security responsibilities," he told the committee, which is chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech.
He emphasized that while the NIS continues to supply critical intelligence, field teams lack the tools and support needed to respond effectively.
Haji also said that false information remains a threat to national stability, urging Parliament to prioritize investments in the country’s security systems.
"The age of disinformation and misinformation continues to pose serious risks to national stability. It’s imperative that the government invests sufficiently in our security infrastructure," he said.
Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru, who also addressed the committee, backed the call for more resources.
He disclosed that the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) had not recruited for the past two years due to budget constraints and warned that continued delays would hurt the force’s operational capacity.
"KDF has failed to recruit for the last two financial years. This is not good for the force, so this year KDF must do a recruit and we call upon this committee to help us get the required resources to do so," Mariru said.
He said the ministry needs Sh2 billion to support this year’s recruitment and that each new officer requires about Sh2 million for nine months of training.
Haji concluded by saying the security sector cannot meet its responsibilities without serious attention to budget gaps, calling on lawmakers to take decisive action.
