NAIROBI, Kenya- A major shake-up has hit President William Ruto’s elite security team following Sunday’s dramatic security breach in Kilifi County, where a man broke through security and charged towards the Head of State during a public engagement.
Highly placed security sources say Presidential Escort Unit (PEU) Commandant Assistant Inspector General of Police Noah Kirwa Maiyo has been recalled to Vigilance, with senior officer William Sawe now taking over command of the President’s escort team.
The changes came hours after the shocking incident in Ganze, Kilifi County, where a man carrying a Bible managed to breach layers of security and rush towards President Ruto before he was subdued by members of the presidential protection unit.
Videos of the incident quickly spread online, triggering renewed scrutiny over the President’s security arrangements during open public rallies.
The latest scare is said to have alarmed senior government and security officials, especially amid growing concerns over repeated breaches involving the President during public engagements.
Sources within security circles indicate the government moved swiftly to reorganise the President’s close protection structure following the Kilifi incident, with focus now shifting to tightening crowd-control measures and reviewing operational protocols during public events.
Maiyo, a highly experienced VIP protection officer, had only taken over as Presidential Escort Unit Commandant in July 2024 after succeeding William Yiampoy, who had been moved to Vigilance as Director of Operations.
The veteran officer has served in the Presidential Escort Unit for more than three decades and previously worked closely with Ruto during his tenure as Deputy President, later becoming head of operations at State House.
The Presidential Escort Unit remains one of the country’s most sensitive security formations, mandated to protect the President, First Family, retired presidents, visiting heads of state and other high-profile dignitaries.
Sunday’s breach once again exposed vulnerabilities surrounding President Ruto’s highly interactive public engagements, which security experts have repeatedly warned could complicate protective formations around the Head of State.
In recent months, several incidents have emerged where members of the public managed to get dangerously close to the President during rallies, roadside stopovers and church events, sparking debate about whether security officers are struggling to balance public accessibility with presidential safety.
