- Noordin Haji, born in 1973, is the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS
- Haji has a strong educational background, including degrees from the University of Wales, Cardiff, and the Australian National University
- He comes from a family with a rich legacy of public service and political involvement in Kenya
Noordin Haji's is a familiar name in Kenya, known for his role as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which he was appointed to in 2018.
Born into a family with a rich legacy of public service, Haji has worked his way up to his current role as the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Family background and early life
Noordin Haji was born on July 3, 1973. His father, Mohamed Yusuf Haji, was a notable figure in Kenyan politics and public administration, serving as the Garissa Senator and Kenya's Minister of Defence from 2008 to 2013.
In 2012, Yusuf Haji also acted as the Minister of Internal Security and Provincial Affairs. Noordin’s mother was a teacher, contributing to the family's emphasis on education and service.
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Growing up in a household steeped in public service, Noordin Haji enjoyed a privileged upbringing.
He attended Kabarak High School for his secondary education and later Greensteds International School in Nakuru.
Haji pursued higher education abroad, earning an LLM and LLB from the University of Wales and Cardiff, and an MNSPO (Master’s degree in National Security Policy) with merit from the Australian National University.
He also holds a postgraduate diploma from the Kenya School of Law.
Early career in public service
Haji's career in public service began in 2000 when he joined the Attorney General's office as a State Counsel.
His tenure in the Attorney General’s office was marked by significant contributions, particularly in providing legal counsel to various law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Founding and running Radio Salaam
Radio Salaam, which was founded in the year 2006 being an Islamic radio channel, was started by Nordin Hajji.
It was also co-owned by his father who is the Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji and his other brother - Abdul Haji.
At a point, Haji was criticised for using the radio station for his undercover work. The station was however sold in 2016 and is no longer owned by the Hajis.
Even though it was sold, the station produced some of the top names in Radio among them former journalist now Nyali member of parliament Mohammed Ali and Radio Maisha presenter Tongola Mate and even Citizen TV's Lulu Hassan.
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Career at the National Intelligence Service
Haji's expertise eventually led to his appointment as Deputy Director of the NIS, where he played a crucial role in shaping national security policies and operations.
Haji served as the Deputy Director of the Counter Organised Crime Unit before his appointment as the DPP.
He has also served as the Deputy Director, Administration, and Internal Division, (NIS) from January 2015 to June 2016;
Haji was also the Head of Somalia Stabilization; the Principal Intelligence Officer- External Division, (NIS) from 2010 to 2013; the Head Countering Violent Extremism Assistant Intelligence Officer Director General’s Coordination Office from 2009 to 2010.
He headed the Legal Department, National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS); Principal Legal Advisor to the Director General between 2005 and 2009.
He was also the deputy Head Legal Department, National Security Intelligence Service from Dec 2000 to July 2005)
Tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)
In March 2018, Noordin Haji was appointed as Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
As the DPP, Haji's tenure was marked by both success and controversy. He was accussed by a section of politicians for being used by President Uhuru Kenyatta's government to silence his political opponents.
However he also had a number of successes which the pursuing of top cases and the introduction of several reforms in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), including the implementation of an electronic filing system that significantly improved service delivery.
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Return to the National Intelligence Service
In 2023, Noordin Haji returned to the National Intelligence Service, where he was appointed as the Director General by President William Ruto.
His extensive experience in both legal and intelligence fields uniquely positioned him to address the complex security challenges facing Kenya.
After moving to the NIS, Haji made major changes at the spy agency, appointing the first female deputy director-general in the organisation's history.
The changes, saw a number of long-serving officers reassigned and others retired.
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Personal life
Despite his high-profile career, Noordin Haji has kept his personal life largely out of the public eye.
He is married and has children, maintaining a private family life away from the limelight.
Networth
During Haji's vetting for the position of the NIS Director General, he revealed his networth to be Sh466 million. He also disclosed that he received an annual salary of Sh9 million and Sh12 million from a family business.
Haji declined to share details about his wealth and sources of income and requested to submit the documents away from the glare of the media.
Citing the sensitivity of his position and the need to safeguard national security, Haji argued that revealing his financial information could potentially be compromising.