President Uhuru Kenyatta gets new head of security

By Cyrus Ombati

NAIROBI, KENYA: Mombasa County Police Commander Mr Edward Mbugua has been named as the new head of President Kenyatta’s security.

Two top police officers who have been in charge of Kenyatta’s security have been moved in changes announced by police headquarters.

The Presidential Escort Unit (Prescot) commander Wanjohi Mwangi and his deputy Joseph Narangwi have been moved in the surprise changes.

Mbugua will be deputised by Mr Bashane Shabaan who has been number three in hierarchy within the unit.

It is not clear what has necessitated the changes of the top commanders. Kenyatta inherited them from former president Mwai Kibaki in March.

Mbugua hails from the same area as president Kenyatta’s home and pundits say that influenced his naming to the position.

New Mombasa County Commander is Robert Kitur while Nyanza Provincial Police Officer Joseph Ole Tito has been moved to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where he will head a newly formed unit to oversee all security matters of the airports and response to disasters.

The new Nyanza regional commander is Mr Narangwi. Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer Levin Mwandi has also been taken to the National Disaster Operations Centre as the commander. 

The new Rift Valley regional commander is Mr Elias Oduori.

Wanjohi, formerly head of Recce squad at GSU has been moved and named the head of issuing licenses for firearms in the country.

On the issue of ole Tito, the unit which he will lead will now be in charge of all security matters at the airports while Mwandi will now be the main coordinator of the centre and will be liaising with other emergence service providers during disasters. 

This follows President Kenyatta order for the overhaul of the national disaster services and creation of one coordinating agency to take charge during disasters. 

“There is a feeling that the centre was or is not coordinated properly and that is why we have put an officer who will report to the Inspector General of Police to ensure smooth running of affairs,” said a senior officer who asked not to be named.

Mwandi will be liaising with police, military, ambulance providers, fire marshals and other service providers in times of emergencies to ensure proper management of issues.

During the fire at the airport, poor coordination was blamed as the cause of its spread and destruction.

President Kenyatta, at the same time, ordered the immediate placement of all security agencies serving within the airport under the command of a single senior officer.