Gachagua: No matter how unpopular Ruto is, he must be safe
By Aloys Michael, May 25, 2026Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for heightened security for President William Ruto, warning that any harm to the Head of State could plunge the country into political instability despite growing public dissatisfaction with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Speaking during a Monday, May 25, 2026, press briefing, Gachagua said that although many Kenyans want Ruto voted out of office, they must reject any attempts to remove him through violence or insecurity.
His remarks came a day after sweeping changes were made to the President’s security team following a security scare during an event in Ganze, Kilifi County.
“We want William Ruto out of office, but we want him out of office through the ballot next year. We don’t want him out of the office through any other method. The security of the President, his safety and his well-being are very important ingredients of our political stability as a country,” Gachagua said.
The Democracy for the Citizens (DCP) party boss stressed that the office of the presidency remains central to national security regardless of the occupant’s popularity.
“The President of Kenya, no matter how unpopular he is, must be safe and he must be properly protected. Because if anything was to happen to him, we would have a crisis,” he said.
He referenced the 1994 Rwanda tragedy, recalling how the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana triggered widespread violence and genocide, warning against what he termed recklessness in handling presidential security matters.
“It is very irresponsible and precarious for the government to play around with the security of President William Ruto. President William Ruto is very unpopular, I agree, but I must admit in my own estimation he enjoys the support of nearly two million people,” Gachagua stated.
According to Gachagua, any harm to Ruto would likely ignite unrest among his supporters and destabilise the country politically.
“If anything was to happen to President William Ruto through recklessness, there will be political instability in this country. We have no other country. We want William Ruto to be safe. We want William Ruto to be alive and to be well,” he warned.
Ruto’s Kilifi security breach
His comments followed dramatic changes within the Presidential Escort Unit (PEU) after security around the President was breached during a public rally in Ganze, Kilifi County.
During the incident, a man managed to approach the presidential dais before security officers intervened.
In changes announced by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat through the Kenya Police Service, PEU Commandant Noah Kirwa Maiyo was removed from his position and redeployed to Vigilance House in Nairobi. William Sawe, formerly in charge of the elite Recce Squad sub-unit, was appointed the new PEU Commandant with immediate effect.
At the same time, Juda Matthews Gwiyo, who had been serving as deputy commandant of the PEU, was sent on leave ahead of retirement, while George Kirera was appointed deputy commandant.
Further changes saw Josephat Sirma take over leadership of the Recce Squad from Sawe.
Inspector General Douglas Kanja confirmed the shake-up, saying the changes were necessary to strengthen presidential security protocols after repeated breaches.
“I have ordered immediate changes to the security detail responsible for the President’s protection in order to strengthen protocols and seal any existing vulnerabilities,” Kanja said in a statement issued Sunday, May 24, 2025.
The Ganze incident is the latest in a string of security scares involving the President. Earlier this year, another man attempted to access the podium where Ruto was addressing a crowd before being subdued by security officers.
The repeated breaches have sparked debate over the effectiveness of the President’s protection team, with critics questioning how individuals continue to gain close access to one of the country’s most heavily guarded leaders.
Even as he criticised Ruto’s administration and acknowledged widespread public frustration, Gachagua maintained that safeguarding the President is essential for the country’s democratic stability.
“We want to have the opportunity to humiliate him through the ballot,” Gachagua said, insisting that political competition must remain peaceful and constitutional.