Inspector General Douglas Kanja orders an urgent overhaul of President William Ruto's security detail following a brazen podium breach at a public event in Ganze, Kilifi County — raising serious concerns about the safety of Kenya's head of state.
A dangerous moment that forced emergency action
In a dramatic turn of events that has rattled the country's security establishment, the National Police Service (NPS) has announced sweeping and immediate changes to President William Ruto's security detail — just hours after an unidentified man managed to breach the presidential dais during a public event in Ganze, Kilifi County. The alarming incident, captured on camera, showed the intruder reaching the podium where the president was addressing attendees — moments before security officers could intercept him.
The breach triggered an immediate and firm response from Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who publicly declared: "I have ordered immediate changes to the security detail responsible for the President's protection in order to strengthen protocols and seal any existing vulnerabilities."
Key personnel changes at a glance
Noah Kirwa Maiyo — removed as PEU Commandant
Redeployed to Kenya Police Headquarters (Vigilance House), Nairobi
William Sawe — appointed new PEU Commandant
Formerly commanding officer of the elite Recce sub-unit
Juda Matthews Gwiyo — Deputy Commandant placed on pre-retirement leave
George Kirera — named new Deputy Commanding Officer of PEU
Formerly staffing officer at the Presidential Escort Unit
Josephat Sirma — appointed Commanding Officer of the Recce sub-unit
Replaces Sawe, who has been elevated to lead presidential security
Who is William Sawe — Kenya's new presidential security chief?
Sawe's appointment is significant. Having previously commanded the Recce Company — Kenya's most elite and highly trained counter-terrorism and rapid response unit — he brings tactical credibility to a role that demands zero tolerance for lapses. His primary mandate will be ensuring that President Ruto's personal security is airtight at all public and private engagements.
This is not the first breach — a pattern of concern
Security experts and Kenyans alike are asking a hard question: how has accessing the President become this easy? The Ganze incident is the latest in what appears to be a worrying pattern of presidential security failures.
On February 12 this year, a young man similarly managed to walk up to a podium where President Ruto was delivering a speech. On that occasion, the security team did intervene before he could reach the president — but the fact that he got that far was itself deeply alarming. These repeated incidents have severely dented public confidence in the Presidential Escort Unit (PEU) and its capacity to safeguard the head of state.
What does this mean going forward?
The National Police Service's swift Sunday evening response signals that the government is taking the issue seriously — and cannot afford another incident. Beyond personnel changes, security analysts argue that crowd screening protocols, perimeter setups at public events, and real-time threat assessment systems for presidential functions must be urgently reviewed and strengthened.
As Kenya continues to grapple with growing public disorder and political tension, the safety of the president remains a non-negotiable pillar of national stability. The question now is whether the new command structure at PEU will be able to decisively close the security gaps that have left Ruto embarrassingly exposed.