US Secret Service steal limelight

Before the arrival of President Barack Obama, American security agents appeared to hog all the limelight at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

From journalists, airport workers and ordinary citizens, the presence of the Americans was intriguing.

The Secret Service agents arrived in busloads, and everywhere they went, they attracted attention.

The agents never spoke to anybody, but only among themselves. When we encountered a group of 15 walking towards the airport’s Terminal One, one may have thought it was a one-off encounter. But as hours went by, the agents began swarming everywhere. Even the guards manning various points at the airport appeared awestruck by their presence.

The agents were easily distinguishable from their trademark sunglasses.

They were methodical in their movements. Deliberate and sure. Black suits. At around 2.30 pm, a group of about ten entered the Java Restaurant at Terminal Two, and sat at a table in the middle of the restaurant. Within twenty minutes, they had eaten and left.

Across the road from the restaurant, we encountered another group arriving in a bus. At no point did we witness any interaction between the American and the Kenyan security agents, but they were all on a similar mission.