End security lapses on Uhuru, former spy advises

A former intelligence officer has expressed worry over security lapses during President Uhuru Kenyatta's grand reception from The Hague last Thursday.

Essau Kioni, formerly a security adviser to retired President Mwai Kibaki, yesterday claimed there were security challenges during President Kenyatta's homecoming.

"I even prayed for the reception to be over, because, so many things went wrong," Kioni told The Standard yesterday.

Uhuru was returning home from a status conference of the International Criminal Court in The Hague when he was received by jubilant crowds.

He cited one incident in which a man was captured on camera violently shaking the President Kenyatta's hand and almost pulling him down from his limousine.

"I was surprised that, even as the two leaders addressed their supporters, traffic along the various busy routes they passed continued to flow normally. This was a very serious security breach which should not be allowed to happen again," he said.

Kioni said it was wrong for both the President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to ride in the same vehicle, adding that it was against the security rule especially at a time when the country is facing serious security challenges.

"We have seen very important persons being attacked in Migori, Kirinyaga and Mombasa. What happened during the reception is an indicator that we have serious problems in guarding those leaders," he noted.

Kioni, who holds a Masters of Arts in Security and Crime Risk Management from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, said he did not see the reason crucial and important security measures were being ignored.