NAIROBI, Kenya — Chilling new details have emerged in the investigation of Monday’s fatal shooting of State House guard Ramadhan Hamisi Matanka, after CCTV footage revealed a 17-minute conversation between Matanka and his alleged killer — a man now thought to have known the victim.
The recording calls into question security procedures at one of Kenya’s most protected facilities and has intensified scrutiny on how the assailant gained access.
According to the footage and police sources, Kithuka Kimunyi, the suspect, strolled into the restricted State House Gate D access area at 7:58 a.m. carrying a gunny sack. He and Matanka engaged in conversation, reportedly familiar in nature, for 17 minutes before the guard was struck by a bow and arrow at around 8:10 a.m.
The apparent calm with which Kimunyi approached Matanka — and the fact that Matanka did not visibly act as though under threat — has led investigators to posit two emerging theories: either the two men had prior acquaintance and a dispute turned deadly, or a negotiation or arrangement between them unraveled during the encounter.
While two of Matanka’s colleagues were preoccupied with inspecting a vehicle near the gate, Kimunyi allegedly removed a bow and arrow from his sack and shot Matanka in the left chest.
The guard collapsed, gasping in pain, while colleagues rushed him to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he later died in the emergency department.
Kimunyi attempted to flee but was subdued by another GSU officer on the premises. He was then transferred to a facility for mental evaluation as the investigation deepened.
State and police statements have described the attack as random and indiscriminate, with the assailant seen loitering near the State House before attacking without provocation. The official narrative claims that Matanka confronted the unidentified man out of curiosity.
But CCTV evidence complicates this account: it shows a deliberate approach and protracted interaction between Kimunyi and Matanka — hardly the behavior of a stranger passing by.
One police insider told The Star that Matanka’s phone history suggests repeated previous meetings with Kimunyi at various State House gates, often when Matanka was stationed there.
Inspector General Douglas Kanja has publicly condemned the attack and praised the swift actions of officers who detained the suspect. He has described the shooting as “indiscriminate” and said the assailant refused to surrender.
The incident has exposed potential lapses in the State House’s security protocols, particularly how a suspect could gain such unfettered access and sustain a prolonged conversation with a high-alert guard. Questions now abound over vetting, barrier integrity, and surveillance coverage at sensitive entry points.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau have joined the inquiry. They are reviewing all available CCTV footage, interviewing guards on duty, and reconstructing the lead-up to the attack.
Meanwhile, Matanka’s burial has been delayed to allow for the completion of a post-mortem examination at the request of the police.
As the probe continues, the case raises urgent questions about how security at the seat of government might fail amid seemingly routine interactions — and whether insider familiarity can be weaponised under the guise of trust.
