The unit commander coordinates the presidential escort unit formed entirely by the General Service Unit (GSU)-Recce squad that guards President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and other state dignitaries.
Prior to travelling, the team conducts risk and threat analysis by scanning the designated area, routes and also scans for threats from the crowd. The unit operates under well-oiled tactics to avert threats and secure the President’s safety.
According to security experts George Musamali, Simiyu Werunga and internationally acclaimed Christopher Doc Rogers, some of the tactics include bodyguard formations and are used to offer protection to Uhuru.
One-on-One
“The one-on-one formation is normally utilized within a low threat area on a low threat client. He is guarded by one bodyguard responsible for the flank, point, tail, and close-in protection of the client,” Christopher Doc Rogers states.
Wedge Formation
The formation provides the President with 360-degree protection at all times in the geometric configuration of a wedge. Recce usually resorts to the tactic during evacuations, threats or moving the head of state through heavy low-risk crowds.
"Uniformed police are tasked with crowd controlling while the National Intelligence Service (NIS) collects intelligence. Based on the intelligence, the Recce squad comes up with a security plan," George Musamali stated.
Box Formation
This formation also provides the client with 360 degrees of protection in high-risk crowds. The President is kept at the centre while navigating through crowds.
Diamond Formation
“The diamond formation as the name suggests in the geometric configuration of a diamond. The rule in the diamond formation is to provide the client with 360 degrees of protection at all times. The diamond can be used in both loose and tight protective formations and can be conducted in a covert or overt movement,” Christopher Doc Rogers states.
Others include V-shape and Arrowhead formations
The president’s vehicle is situated between the control, support and protection vehicles. The V-shape entails the motorbike riders with the leader in the front and the other four behind him. The motorcade usually has either five or six riders.
"These riders are all trained and are part of the escort unit. However, they have more responsibilities such as pace-setting. They dictate how fast the motorcade can be driven at one point and how slow at another. Although all of the units are trained on this and they have stipulated speed they need to drive at," Simiyu Werunga stated.
Bodyguards
The presidential escort unit commander also leads the inner cordon, a team that personally guards Uhuru. Below the presidential escort unit commander is a leader dubbed Oscar 1 who sits behind the President’s aide de camp.
Oscar 1 is trained to interrupt Uhuru’s speeches by standing to alert colleagues on impending threats. Other team members include point bodyguard (front), flank (two bodyguards on the side), rear (behind) and the detail leader.
“The detail leader walks immediately to the right of the principal. The detail leader should be no less than an arm's length away from the principal. He or she is responsible for immediately shielding and removing the principal in the event of an attack,” Christopher Doc Rogers states.
Uhuru’s motorcade also includes the route, sweepers, lead, backup, electronic countermeasure and control/support vehicles.
Route cars race ahead to scan the highway and coordinate with police to block traffic. Sweeper cars are the motorcycles that lead the motorcade, the lead car carries the presidential escort unit commander.
Backups entail regular police and NIS while countermeasure vehicles jam communication and detonate devices. Ambulances and media are part of the support vehicles.
