President William Ruto’s security has repeatedly come under scrutiny in 2026 following a series of incidents in which individuals breached security barriers and managed to get dangerously close to the Head of State during public functions.
The incidents which occurred in Mombasa, Wajir and Kilifi counties within months of each other, triggered debate over crowd control, coordination among security agencies and the growing challenge of securing high-profile public events attended by large crowds.
While none of the incidents resulted in injuries or direct harm to the President, the repeated breaches raised questions about the effectiveness of presidential security protocols and the speed of response by officers assigned to protect the Head of State.
Mombasa incident – 6 February 2026
The first major security scare of the year occurred in Mombasa during a National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme event held at the Jomo Kenyatta Showground.
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President Ruto had been presiding over the disbursement of business start-up capital to thousands of young beneficiaries drawn from Mombasa, Kwale and Taita-Taveta counties when the incident unfolded.
As the President interacted with the crowd during his speech, an unidentified man suddenly broke through security and ran towards the podium, briefly interrupting the event.
The breach caught attention because the man managed to get close to the President despite the heavy security presence typically deployed during presidential engagements.
Security officers quickly intervened and restrained the man before escorting him away, allowing the programme to continue moments later.
Although the situation was contained swiftly, the incident sparked concerns about the vulnerability of open-air presidential events, especially those involving large crowds and direct public interaction.
Wajir incident – 12 February 2026
Just days after the Mombasa scare, another security breach occurred in Wajir County during a NYOTA funds disbursement forum at Wajir Stadium.
President Ruto was addressing residents and youth beneficiaries when an unidentified man wearing a white shirt and blue jeans suddenly emerged from behind the podium and charged towards him.
The unexpected intrusion forced the President to momentarily halt his speech as members of his security team, including his aide-de-camp, swiftly moved in to wrestle the man away from the podium.
The dramatic scenes briefly disrupted the event before calm was restored and the President resumed his address.
The incident once again fuelled public debate about lapses in presidential security, particularly how individuals were able to bypass multiple layers of protection and access restricted areas near the Head of State.
Security analysts and sections of the public questioned whether crowd screening and perimeter control measures during public events were sufficient, especially following a similar incident in Mombasa less than a week earlier.
3. Kilifi Incident - 24 May 2026
The latest and perhaps most widely discussed breach occurred in Kilifi County during a thanksgiving ceremony held in honour of Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs.
The President was addressing residents and local leaders when a young man suddenly emerged from the crowd and rushed towards the dais, briefly catching security officers off guard.
Members of the President’s security detail quickly moved to restrain him, forcing the Head of State to pause his speech as officers attempted to remove the man from the stage area.
However, in a moment that later drew widespread public attention online, President Ruto instructed the officers not to mistreat him and instead engaged the intruder in a light-hearted exchange.
Ruto jokingly commented on the man’s hairstyle and missing shoes as the crowd laughed, before security officers eventually escorted him away.
The President later reassured the crowd that the man posed no danger, joking that he had simply refused to miss an opportunity.
Despite the humorous tone that followed the incident, the breach triggered administrative changes within the President’s security structure.
The National Police Service announced a reshuffle in the Presidential Escort Unit (PEU), the former Commandant Noah Kirwa Maiyo was transferred to the Kenya Police Headquarters at Vigilance House, while Deputy Commandant Juda Mathews Gwiyo was directed to proceed on leave pending retirement.
At the same time, William Sawe was moved from his role as Commanding Officer of the Recce Sub Unit to become the new Commandant of the Presidential Escort Unit, as George Kirera was appointed Deputy Commandant after serving as Staffing Officer Personnel within the PEU.
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