“Very Reckless”: Rigathi Gachagua Raises Alarm Over President William Ruto’s Security, Calls for Kipchumba Murkomen’s Removal

By Gedion Nzyoki - 

• Democracy for Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has raised concerns over the security arrangements surrounding President William Ruto, alleging weaknesses in the current system and calling for reforms within the Interior Ministry.
• He criticised senior security officials, citing poor coordination, low morale within the presidential escort unit, and alleged political interference in deployments.
• Despite his criticism, Gachagua emphasized that he wants the President to remain safe, warning that any security lapses could pose a risk to national stability.

Nairobi, Kenya | May 25, 2026 — Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has launched a scathing attack on the government over what he described as serious lapses in the security of President William Ruto, warning that any harm to the Head of State could plunge the country into political instability.

“It is very irresponsible and reckless for the government to play around with the security of President William Ruto,” Gachagua said.

A photo collage showing DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua being seen off by his allies alongside President William Ruto. Photo: Courtesy.

Speaking on Monday afternoon at the party headquarters during a press briefing, hours after returning from London, the former Deputy President claimed that the President’s security had been compromised by poor leadership, incompetence, and low morale within the presidential escort unit. He directly blamed Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for what he termed repeated security breaches involving the Head of State.

“The problem with the security of William Ruto is that he has an Interior Cabinet Secretary who is naive, childish, and juvenile,” he added.

The former Deputy President pointed to a series of recent incidents in which President William Ruto has been approached or accosted by members of the public during political events, saying the occurrences exposed glaring weaknesses within the country’s security system. He questioned how Kenyans could feel protected if the Head of State himself appeared vulnerable at public engagements.

Gachagua further alleged that the presidential escort unit had become demoralised due to delayed allowances, favouritism, and ethnic bias in deployments. 

According to him, officers from communities outside the President’s ethnic background had been sidelined, leading to frustration and declining professionalism within the security ranks.

“What is happening is that the presidential escort unit is a demoralised lot. It is demoralised because Kipchumba Murkomen, Eliud Langat, and the immediate escort commander, Mayu, have ethnicised the unit. Nearly all the officers are from the same community as the President,” he stated.

The DCP leader further faulted senior security officials for what he termed negligence in handling critical national security matters, alleging that some officers assigned to protect the President appeared distracted and poorly coordinated during recent public events.

He warned that failure to urgently address the shortcomings within the Interior Ministry could expose the country to instability and a possible breakdown of law and order.

Gachagua urged President William Ruto to overhaul his security apparatus and appoint a more experienced and composed individual to lead the Interior Ministry, arguing that the docket requires mature and professional leadership capable of managing sensitive national security issues without political interference.

“I must tell William Ruto, please allow professionals to serve you. Why are you insisting that only your tribesmen should guard you? The changes that were made yesterday, shamelessly, involved people drawn from only one community—the President’s own,” Gachagua said.

Despite his strong criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration, Gachagua said he still wants President William Ruto to remain safe, arguing that the country’s political stability is closely tied to the security of the Head of State.

“I, Rigathi Gachagua, do not want instability in this country. We have no other country, and we do not want instability. We want President William Ruto to be safe,” he said.

He stated that he would rather face the President in a democratic electoral contest than see the nation descend into instability caused by security lapses.

His latest remarks are expected to further deepen the escalating political fallout between him and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, whose public clashes have become increasingly pronounced in recent months amid heightened political tensions within both the ruling coalition and the opposition.