DPP Noordin Haji fights Transparency International withdrawal of Leadership Integrity Award
Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji during a staff sensitisation workshop at the Kenya School of Government in Kabete, Kiambu County, on April 4, 2022.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji on Friday protested against the withdrawal of the Leadership Integrity Award that Transparency International Kenya (TI) awarded him in 2019.
TI stripped Mr Haji of the award in a letter dated May 23, citing the withdrawal of high-profile corruption cases.
Mr Haji protested on Friday through lawyer Danstan Omari of Musyoki Mogaka & Company Advocates.
Mr Omari asked TI to explain the decision, saying the award resulted from a committee decision, not a unilateral one. He alleged that the move to withdraw the award was a bid to taint and interfere with Mr Haji's recent nomination by President William Ruto as the next director-general of the National Intelligence Services of Kenya (NIS).
Mr Omari states in the letter that other candidates were also shortlisted and vetted for the same award and a proper decision reached - to award Mr Haji.
In the letter to TI Executive Director Sheila Masinde, he asks for documents, in accordance with Article 35 of the Constitution which he notes covers the right to access information.
As such, he demands that Ms Masinde and the TI provide him with minutes of the meeting held by the committee and/or board which made the decision to withdraw the Leadership Integrity Award (State/Public Officer).
“In addition, Haji’s constitutional rights to fair administrative action and fair hearing as espoused in Articles 47 and 50 of the Constitution of 2010 respectively have been grossly violated by your unilateral decision,” ther lawyers tells Ms Masinde.
He further claims in the communique that, “It is our position that you habour personal vendetta against Noordin Haji and have decided to settle it by unilaterally withdrawing the said award which was awarded to him.”
In an exclusive interview with the Nation at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, Mr Omari endorsed Mr Haji for the new position saying he served in the same capacity for 15 years before he was picked for the DPP job.
He also said Mr Haji should not be victimised by the TI and Ms Masinde because of his faith and because he comes from a minority community.
