Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has ordered the immediate restructuring of President William Ruto’s security setup after a daring breach at a public thanksgiving function in Kilifi County on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
The whole incident that IG Kanja described as a matter of “gravest national concern” has now set off a high-level inquiry into possible weaknesses within the presidential protection unit.
The breach happened in the Ganze constituency during a ceremony honoring the Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs. When President Ruto was addressing the crowd, a young man somehow managed to slip past multiple layers of security, then sprinted straight toward the podium.
The incident was captured on video, and the intruder for a short moment got close to the dais, clinging to the head of state, which quickly showed panic among attendees and the security team.
President Ruto’s security detail quickly moved in and swarmed the stage, tackling the intruder before he could get to the president. Even with the tense air around them, Ruto intervened so his officers would not rough up the young man, and he called out, “Wachana na huyu kijana!” (Leave this young man alone).
Later, he tried to play it down, humorously implying that the man was just “seeking his luck,” and this actually got a few laughs from the crowd.
But that playful remark from the president sits in sharp contrast with the strict reaction from the security command. IG Kanja said a special investigative team has been formed to find out how the intruder managed to penetrate the inner security perimeter.
The overhaul of the Presidential Escort Unit is expected to move fast, with officials hinting that even small errors will no longer be tolerated.
This latest security scare is part of a troubling pattern; like, honestly, it feels off. Barely three months ago, in February, a similar incident happened in Wajir County when an aspirant charged the stage during a public engagement.
Since these breaches keep reappearing, political leaders are now sounding the alarm again and again. Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo warned that these things should not just be brushed off as plain excitement, saying they point to major gaps in the President’s protection protocols, and not in some minor way.
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