NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has raised fresh concerns over President William Ruto’s security following the dramatic breach witnessed during a public event in Ganze, Kilifi County, warning that the incident exposed serious weaknesses within the country’s top security apparatus.
Speaking on Monday, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader questioned how an unidentified man managed to break through layers of presidential security and physically reach the Head of State during a public gathering in Kilifi.
The security scare occurred on Sunday during a Thanksgiving ceremony for Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs at Mnagoni Primary School grounds in Bamba, Ganze constituency.
President Ruto was addressing residents when a man suddenly rushed toward the podium and briefly grabbed him before security officers intervened.
Although the man was quickly subdued and removed from the scene, the incident triggered national debate over the preparedness and coordination of the President’s protection team.
Reacting to the breach, Gachagua faulted the President’s security detail, alleging negligence and lack of professionalism among officers tasked with protecting the Head of State.
“What if that man came with a knife? What if he was a bomber?” Gachagua posed during a press briefing.
“If he could hold Ruto’s neck and almost twist it, he would have stabbed him. This is a very sad state of affairs,” he added.
The former Deputy President also questioned the absence and effectiveness of the President’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC), saying such a lapse should never happen around a sitting Head of State.
“Where is our ADC? He is deployed to be with the president and go with him wherever he goes, including the toilet,” Gachagua said.
“What has been happening, that strangers come and accost the president and everybody is running helter-skelter? There is no ADC, there is no security,” he added.
Gachagua further claimed that politics and ethnic considerations had weakened professionalism within the security structure surrounding President Ruto.
In remarks likely to spark political debate, he alleged that some members of the security team were distracted and had failed to fully focus on their duties.
“Security was on WhatsApp and TikTok,” Gachagua claimed while criticising the officers attached to the President.
The DCP leader urged the government to urgently reorganise the President’s security arrangements before a more serious incident occurs.
The Kilifi incident has intensified scrutiny on the country’s security agencies at a time when political tensions and public protests linked to the rising cost of living continue to grow.
Following the breach, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja ordered investigations into the incident, terming it a matter of national concern. Security experts have also called for a review of crowd control and presidential protection protocols during public engagements.
