A brief breach of President William Ruto’s security has reignited a political storm in Kenya, with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua demanding the immediate removal of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
Speaking at his party headquarters in Nairobi on Sunday, May 25, Gachagua said the country’s internal security leadership had failed a basic test of protection, warning that the situation pointed to deeper weaknesses within the state security system.
He said the Interior Ministry could no longer inspire confidence.
“How can Murkomen guarantee the safety of ordinary Kenyans if he cannot guarantee the security of his appointing authority?” Gachagua asked.
His remarks followed an incident in Kilifi County where a man briefly breached the President’s security cordon during a public event. The interruption was quickly contained, and President Ruto was not harmed.
But Gachagua said the episode could not be dismissed as minor. He pointed to what he described as a pattern of lapses in recent months.
He cited earlier incidents, including a shoe thrown at the President during a public engagement in Migori and another disturbance involving a water bottle in Nairobi’s Kibra area. He also referenced a February incident in Mombasa where an individual managed to get close to the President’s protective perimeter.
“In other jurisdictions, by now, the CS Interior would have resigned, the Inspector General would have resigned,” he said.
Gachagua, who has increasingly positioned himself as a sharp critic of the administration since his political fallout with President Ruto in late 2024, said his concerns were not personal. He said they were rooted in national stability.
He warned that any serious lapse in presidential security could have wider consequences for the country.
“If anything were to happen to him, the country would be thrown into chaos,” he said.
He also questioned the coordination of the President’s protection detail, including the role of the Aide-de-Camp, asking how the breach had occurred so close to the Head of State.
“What if that man had a weapon?” he said. “What if he was a suicide attacker?”
Gachagua further alleged, without providing evidence, that elements within the Interior Ministry had engaged in politically motivated activities in parts of the country. The claims could not be independently verified.
The Interior Ministry has not publicly responded to his latest remarks.
Separately, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has ordered changes within the President’s security detail following the Kilifi incident. Senior officer William Sawe has been named as the new head of the Presidential Escort Unit, according to police communications.
Security analysts have often noted that minor breaches at high-profile events do not necessarily indicate systemic failure, but they can expose gaps in crowd control and intelligence coordination. However, there has been no official assessment linking the Kilifi incident to broader institutional shortcomings.
The political exchange adds to growing tension between Gachagua and the administration he once served alongside at the highest level, underscoring a widening split within Kenya’s ruling political landscape.