A viral video has once again raised concerns about President William Ruto’s security, particularly the competence of his detail.
The footage, captured in Nyanza, shows residents, mostly youth, gathered dangerously close to a military chopper used by the President. The aircraft was parked in an open area with minimal visible security presence.
In the video, the crowd can be heard chanting slogans, some reportedly referencing the late Chief of Defence Forces, Francis Ogolla. Alarmingly, several individuals are seen touching the chopper, an aircraft that, under normal protocols, should be heavily secured to prevent tampering, explosive threats, or unauthorised access.
Despite one military officer, believed to be the pilot, attempting to disperse the crowd, he appeared overwhelmed as the group continued to surround the helicopter.
Kenyans reacted to the video, poking holes at the competence of the President’s security detail, alleging that this was making the Presidency vulnerable and leaving him exposed.
It follows several instances of breaches in his guard, which have further heightened scrutiny on just how well Ruto is guarded. It also comes at a time when Ruto is experiencing polarised support in sections of the country, further raising the cause for alarm.
Just last week, a dramatic moment involving Ruto unfolded after a woman appeared to pull him in an incident that could have proved chaotic.
Footage obtained online by Kenyans.co.ke showed the woman reaching out to greet the Head of State shortly after he arrived at a crowded event in Kibera on Friday, May 23.
As the woman stretched out her hand to greet him, one of Ruto’s bodyguards quickly stepped in and tried to push her away. At that moment, the woman had not let go of the President’s hand, causing him to lose his balance.
The President was walking through the crowd, surrounded by his security team and Lang’ata Member of Parliament Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o. In the video, President Ruto can be seen holding Jalang’o’s back to steady himself and avoid falling.
Despite the incident, Ruto, who had just come from inspecting the Kibera Affordable Housing units, smiled and called the woman back from the crowd, and shook her hand. The bodyguard, after the woman's second handshake with President Ruto, pushed her back into the crowd.
Another significant moment ensued when Ruto was struck by a flying shoe while in Migori. On Sunday, May 4, Ruto narrowly escaped a shoe aimed at his head, blocking it with his arm while addressing a large crowd.
Earlier photos sent by the Presidential Communication Service (PCS) showed President Ruto in a small mounted dais surrounded by a large crowd.
His security, mainly drawn from the General Service Unit (GSU), formed a barrier around him. But since he was on a raised podium, his guards were level on the ground with the crowd to control them and stop them from reaching the president.
Prior to the bizarre incident, there were several pointers that the president's safety was likely to be compromised, besides the fact that his platform was fairly close to the residents.
