Shock As NIS And Military Bosses Lecture Kenyans On #RutoMustGo Chants

The walls of the University of Nairobi must still be echoing with the whispers of disbelief. When the Director-General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) chose to wade into the murky waters of political discourse, they did more than overstep their constitutional boundaries—they betrayed the very essence of their oaths.

In a republic where the Constitution reigns supreme, security agencies are not permitted the luxury of political opinion. Their mandate is clear, their boundaries well-marked, yet here we are, witnessing the slow erosion of democracy by those entrusted to guard it. The involvement of these two gentlemen in condemning the #RutoMustGo campaign is not only reckless but also criminal.

Kenya’s Constitution is not a suggestion. Article 239(3) is as unambiguous as it is ironclad:

A national security organ shall not, in performing its functions—

(a) act in a partisan manner;

(b) further any interest of a political party or cause; or

(c) prejudice a political interest or political cause that is legitimate under this Constitution.

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What, then, were these two doing standing on a public podium, breathing fire against a citizen-led movement? What compelled them to forsake their duty and wade into a political battlefield where they do not belong?

Let’s be clear: #RutoMustGo is not a treasonous chant whispered in the dark corridors of a coup plot. It is the voice of a people frustrated, a constitutionally protected demand for accountability. If the NIS and CDF had attended even the most basic civics class, they would know that the sovereign power in Kenya belongs to the people. Not the President. Not the military. Not the intelligence service.

Their actions are not just unconstitutional; they are dangerous. Security agencies meddling in politics have historically been the first sign of democratic decay. We have seen this before. In Uganda, security forces became an extension of the ruling party’s propaganda machinery. In Sudan, the military believed it was wiser than the people and seized power. In Zimbabwe, the security forces ensured one man’s rule for nearly four decades.

We refuse to go down that path.

Kenya’s history is littered with warnings. We remember 1982 when sections of the military attempted to play kingmaker. We remember the dark days of the 2007-2008 post-election violence when security forces lost their neutrality. We remember the extrajudicial killings and illegal detentions, all justified by the false claim of ‘national security.’

The involvement of the NIS and CDF in political affairs is not just about one lecture. It is about the broader, insidious attempt to turn Kenya’s security apparatus into an extension of the ruling elite’s survival strategy. When the intelligence chief and the military boss speak against a lawful political movement, what message are they sending to their subordinates? Will soldiers now see protesters as enemies? Will intelligence officers start spying on citizens for expressing dissent?

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have no role in domestic political debates. The Constitution, under Article 241(2)(a), mandates them to:

“defend and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic.”

And the KDF Act, under Section 8(2), is even clearer:

“The Defence Forces shall perform their functions and exercise their powers by the Constitution and the law.”

Neither the Constitution nor the law grants the military the right to interfere in political affairs. Yet here we are, watching them fumble into territory that is not theirs.

It is not lost on us that history has been cruel to generals who forget their place. The Nigerian military once thought it had a divine right to govern, only for civilians to remind them otherwise. In Egypt, a uniformed man grabbed power, but at the cost of blood and international isolation. We will not wait for our men in fatigues to ‘correct’ the political class with force. We will stop them now, before they dream beyond their constitutional role.

The National Intelligence Service, on the other hand, is expected to protect Kenya from genuine threats, not to act as the President’s personal spin doctors. The irony is suffocating: the intelligence service, which should be giving the President hard truths about the country’s discontent, is instead parroting his propaganda.

If the intelligence boss had any professionalism left in him, he would have advised the President to listen to the grievances of Kenyans, not attempt to criminalize discontent. If the military chief had an ounce of respect for the Constitution, he would have reminded his Commander-in-Chief that the uniform he wears is not a symbol of political power but a pledge to defend the people.

We are not asking for clarifications. We are not requesting apologies. We are demanding resignations. Immediately.

If these two men have an ounce of respect left for the institutions they lead, they will step down and let professionals take over. If they do not, then Parliament must summon them, and if found guilty of violating their oaths, they must be prosecuted. There must be consequences. Otherwise, we are setting a dangerous precedent—one where security chiefs believe they can dictate the political landscape.

Kenyans must understand that this is not just about the #RutoMustGo movement. It is about the future of our democracy. Today, they interfere in political debates; tomorrow, they might decide elections. Today, they condemn protests; tomorrow, they might jail dissidents.

The Constitution must be defended. Not just in words, but in action.

We, the people, refuse to be ruled by the shadows of military boots and intelligence briefings. We demand that the National Intelligence Service boss and the Chief of Defence Forces resign forthwith. And if they do not, we demand that legal action be taken against them.

Kenya belongs to the people, not to uniformed men with delusions of political authority.

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