IG Kanja launches inquiry after man charges at President Ruto in Wajir

A man’s sudden dash towards President William Ruto at the dais on Thursday briefly unsettled an otherwise choreographed afternoon in Wajir, forcing security officers into swift action and prompting the National Police Service (NPS) to open an inquiry into the breach.

The incident occurred during the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) event, while President Ruto was addressing residents.

NPS Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, in a statement issued late evening, said the situation was contained within moments, with officers from the Presidential Security Team and other units moving quickly to intercept the individual before he could get close to the Head of State.

The Spokesperson maintained that President Ruto, dignitaries and members of the public were never in danger.

“The National Police Service wishes to state unequivocally that at no time was the safety of His Excellency the President, other dignitaries, or members of the public compromised,” Nyaga said, adding that officers acted “with the utmost professionalism and speed to de-escalate the situation and restore order.”

He revealed that the man was swiftly apprehended and the programme resumed without further interruption, allowing the event to proceed as scheduled.

Still, even a brief ripple in the security fabric around a sitting President is not something authorities take lightly.

Nyaga hence noted that Inspector General Douglas Kanja has since constituted a special team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the breach.

“The individual involved was swiftly apprehended, and the event proceeded without further interruption. The Inspector General of Police, Mr Douglas Kanja, has formed a team to conduct an inquiry into the matter within three days, to identify any procedural gaps that may have contributed to this breach, and to take immediate remedial measures,” stated Nyaga.

The team has been given three days to establish what happened, identify any procedural gaps, and recommend immediate corrective measures.

The man, who later spoke to Citizen TV, said he had no ill intentions and that he simply wanted to speak to the President about his political ambitions.

“Mimi nilitaka kuongea na Rais kwa sababu nasimama kiti ya MCA huko kwetu,” said Ahmed Muhumed.

Muhumed said he does not regret his actions, appearing unaware of the gravity of the security breach.

Six days earlier, while addressing a similar NYOTA event at the Jomo Kenyatta Showground in Mombasa, President Ruto faced another security scare.

On that occasion, a man ran towards the podium from the front, tumbling over it before officers from the Presidential Security Unit apprehended him.