Raila Odinga rejects changes on his security team

By CYRUS OMBATI

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has rejected efforts by the government to overhaul his security team and assign him new bodyguards without his input.

Raila described as “suspect” the attempt to “impose” bodyguards on him and to take away his current security team of 12 officers drawn from the regular police and the General Service Unit at one go.

About two weeks ago, the government announced that it was assigning 12 security officers to the former prime minister and two vehicles after Raila surrendered government vehicles.

Last week, a new team of security officers under the command of Mr Job Boronjo turned up at the former PM’s offices, saying they were under instructions from the GSU command to take over as the new security team.

Raila turned the team away, saying he needed formal notification from the government. Raila also said he wanted to consult widely on the matter. However, last week, while Raila was visiting Kakamega and Nyamira, Mr Boronjo showed up again with a new team of 12security officers.

Mr Boronjo sent a text message to Raila current security team, asking them to report back to their bases.

The message from Mr Boronjo read:

“You are directed to report to this office on 22.08.2013 at 14:00 hours without fail in readiness for a refresher course scheduled to start next week. A new team is already in place to relieve you from your current duties.” CO, GSU headquarters sub unit.

Raila’s spokesman Dennis Onyango confirmed that he discussed with the officers and agreed to let the status quo remain at least until tomorrow, Monday.

“We agreed that since the security officers required to report back to base were already in the field with Raila, it was not going to be possible for them to act on the instructions and they should be given until Monday when Raila returns to Nairobi. Mr Boronjo had no problem with the request and agreed to relay it to his seniors,” Onyango said.

“Raila returned to Nairobi on Friday and told us he found the whole thing ruinous and suspect. He does not understand why all the officers attached to him are being taken for retraining in one go, why bodyguards are being imposed on him without his say as this is contrary to established procedure on VIP protection and why this information is being relayed so casually through SMS and word of mouth,” he added.

Mr Odinga has consequently decided that he either keeps the security he has at the moment or the government takes all of them away and assign him nothing, Onyango said.

Mr Boronjo is said to be acting on instructions from GSU Commandant William Saia.

When the officers first showed up at the former PM offices, Raila asked the former head of his campaign to contact the Inspector General of police on what exactly was going on. Acording to Onyango, Mr Owalo reported that Mr Kimaiyo had said the matter was being handled by his deputy Ms Grace Kaindi.

Currently, Raila’s security team is headed by Sergeant Francis Odhiambo Ogola from the GSU. Mr Ogola has been with Mr Odinga since 2001.

Ordinarily, an order seconding or withdrawing security officers should be sent as a signal from the IG to the GSU commandant which is then presented to the VIP concerned as evidence of the new instructions.

The signal is supposed to explain the changes and how they were arrived at. The signal can only be rescinded via another signal.