Sudi saga: Ruto allies dismiss allegations of misuse of elite force

The presence of the elite cops from the Presidential Escort Unit (PEU) has elicited sharp divisions as differences between President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto become more pronounced. 

Notable among the PEU officers on the spot is Chief Inspector Ekiru who organises and assigns duties to officers serving in the VVIP unit.

They provide security and protection to the President, the first family, the retired Presidents and the deputy President.

They also guard visiting heads of state and government and any other VIP as directed by the Inspector-General.

Another firearm

Chief Inspector Ekiru is said to be the main man in the DP’s security arrangement, according to sources in the DP’s office. His home is near that of Mr Sudi.

“CI [Chief Inspector] Ekiru is suspected to have fled the compound alongside the MP. They had come in the compound with a motor vehicle Reg No KBU 893V, a Toyota Prado, where another firearm make Gilboa, serial number KP5561409, with a magazine of 30 rounds of 5.56mm ammos was recovered,” an incident report from Langas Police Station states.

The Gilboa is an assault rifle designed for Special Forces soldiers.

Kapseret sub-county police boss Francis Warui told the Nation that a decision will be made whether Mr Ekiru will face any administrative action or criminal charges once investigations are complete.

“For now, we have released all those arrested (Simon Siengo and Issack Dida) pending investigations,” Mr Warui said.

During the raid, PEU officers Siengo and Dida were among those arrested. On Monday, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa defended the police officers, saying, Mr Sudi had only invited them for supper after accompanying DP Ruto to his home in Sugoi.

Hate speech

“They were in Sugoi with the DP and had just fallen out from their assignment. Sudi had organised for them to sleep in Eldoret before returning to Nairobi,” Mr Barasa, who is also a close friend of Mr Sudi, said.

He added: “It’s not a crime to be a friend to an MP even when you are an officer in the Presidential Escort Unit.” He dismissed claims that the officers had been invited to help Mr Sudi escape.  He has since been charged on five accounts — including hate speech, possession of firearm and assault on a police officer.

According to Mr Barasa, Mr Sudi left his Kapseret home at 8pm on Friday before the police arrived.

He headed to his third wife’s residence in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet, until Sunday when he presented himself to the police in what his lawyers have termed as “voluntary surrender”.

Mr Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is, however, demanding that the DP take responsibility for the presidential guards’ involvement in the siege.

ODM director of elections Junet Mohamed said involvement of the officers posed a threat to national security. This came as it emerged that the Security Council would do an audit of the unit in the wake of the happenings.

Both State House and government spokespersons Kanze Dena and Cyrus Oguna, respectively, could not confirm the audit order  when reached by the Nation.

Mr Mohamed asked Inspector-General Hilary Mutyambai to account for “every police officer who is out there in the field otherwise we will pick up the matter in Parliament.”

ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire said the use of presidential security signalled a dangerous trend that should concern every Kenyan.

“Our national security is under threat and we cannot be guaranteed of what will take place tomorrow,” he said.

National security

“What started as an in-house political argument is coming out to shake a very fundamental section of the society — our national security — and this is likely to instigate fear and panic across the country,” Mr Bosire added.

He pointed out that there’s need for assurance that “nothing sinister is going on because Kenyans would like to be peaceful, democratic and make decisions in the best way possible.”

“We don’t want to go the way many other African countries have gone. We want to operate and manage a country through established institutions,” Mr Bosire said.

Personal ambition

“Kenya has a constitution and has all the defined institutions that assist in governance and so any other means of leadership outside the constitution should never be allowed,” he added.

Mr Bosire pointed out that personal ambition,  which go beyond institutions, should never be entertained in the country.

“Since independence, every effort has been put to do everything procedurally within the constitution and the laws of the land. Let Kenyans be assured that their security is guaranteed and that they are able to go about their normal lives accordingly,” Mr Bosire said.

Additional report by Justus Ochieng