Top police commanders are worried after a man obstructed President Kenyatta’s convoy in Lucky Summer area, Nairobi.
Officials say there are fears of action following the incident that was seen as a security lapse.
The action may include changes at various levels of the police command and especially in the Presidential Escort Unit (PEU).
“This was a lapse and there might be action,” said a senior officer who asked not to be named.
However, the government says the president’s security was not under any kind of threat following the incident.
Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna described the man as just an overzealous citizen who was excited to see president Kenyatta.
“On 26 May 2021, an individual stepped in front of the Presidential motorcade during the president’s tour at Lucky Summer, Nairobi County,” he said.
“The individual is a citizen who was only excited to see the motorcade of His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta. We wish to allay any fears that the President’s security was under threat.”
The man on Wednesday afternoon unexpectedly obstructed President Kenyatta’s motorcade in Lucky Summer.
His actions were captured on a video taken by a local and went viral.
The video showed the man in a group that was cheering as the motorcade made its way past them.
He then moved to the road and stood in front of the President’s car forcing the convoy to briefly stop.
Police officers who were riding on motorbikes jumped out and grabbed the man before dragging him off the road as other officers joined.
The man seemed to be in shock by the action of the officers as he also pulled away before they could reach him.
The motorcade proceeded as the president rolled down his window and saluted as the other onlookers.
Nairobi County Police Commander Augustine Nthumbi said the man was interrogated to establish his motive.
He said the man insisted he acted out of the excitement of seeing the president.
“Leaders also need to sensitise their people of dangers of such behaviour. People should avoid such actions which are risky,” he said.
The President had gone to Lucky Summer area to launch a Sh300 million slaughterhouse owned by 3,000 livestock farmers in the country when the incident happened.
It came a week after another man made a move towards the president’s dais as he addressed a meeting in Lamu on May 20.
The man was armed with an identification card and wanted to tell the President he was yet to get a job at the new Lamu port.
On March 2, 2021, a motorist breached the president’s security and drove to State House. The motorist had joined the presidential motorcade in Juja and followed them up to State House in a lapse.
Officials said there has been an issue with the personnel’s training of late.
For instance, according to insiders, whereas in the past most officers in the President’s Escort Unit were picked from General Service Unit and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, there has been a change on the same, which insiders feel could be the cause of the lapses noticed.
Some of the officers are nowadays picked from other police units.
The officers say the personnel who accompany the president whenever he is on the move are capable of manoeuvring any form of the situation of threat because of their training and exposure.
The President’s security is occasionally enhanced whenever he is on the move depending on the nature of threats on the ground.
To enable the presidential escort team to identify each other whenever they are in the field, they wear specially issued badges.
Former Recce Company Commandant Josephat Mbuthia Kirimi is the current commandant of the Presidential Escort Unit.
He has been in the position since 2018 when he replaced the current Deputy Inspector General of Kenya police Edward Mbugua.
The Presidential Escort Unit is a full-fledged team, which can handle the movement of the president and his family anytime.
They however usually get the help of the local police whenever the president visits.
As part of security measures, they don’t allow armed police officers especially those with rifles at the events apart from their members.
The Presidential Escort Unit at a glance
The Unit is established to provide security and protection to the President, First Family, retired presidents, Deputy President, visiting Heads of State and Governments and any other VIP as may be directed by the Inspector General of Police.
There are about 200 members of PEU who are specifically assigned to the president alone.
The unit is an elite squad drawn from Recce and G-Company of GSU after thorough training.
The commander is a senior officer of the rank of Assistant Inspector General of police.
