Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka cautioned former President Uhuru Kenyatta of accepting scaled-down security from the government.

Kalonzo made those remarks while attending the Azimio rally at Kamukunji Grounds in Kibera, Nairobi on Sunday, February 5.

Giving out his reasons, Kalonzo revealed the loyalty of the new officers could not be ascertained.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta alongside his security detail at a past event in 2020. PSCU

“The government is saying that they have scaled down Uhuru’s security, they are even exaggerating the number of police officers assigned to the former president.

“When Raila and I were out of government, I got my own private security and I urge the former president to do the same,” he told a charged ground. 

The former Vice President remarked that it is not easy to trust a driver or bodyguard you have not vetted.

“You cannot wake up one day and be given a new driver whom you know nothing about, Uhuru should be careful,” the former Vice President opined.

On February 3, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome addressed the issue of scaling down the security detail of Uhuru and former cabinet secretaries.

The Inspector General assured Kenyans that there was no cause for alarm as the restructuring process was a routine National Police Service (NPS) exercise.

"Once the president has retired, the commander is a superintendent of police.

"An officer who was of the rank of an assistant Inspector General was with the retired president making him be reporting to another assistant Inspector General," Inspector General Koome explained what necessitated the changes. 

Uhuru is entitled to a lifetime of security, having served as the country’s fourth president from 2013 to 2022.

According to the Presidential Retirement Act of 2003, former heads of state are entitled to a maximum of six officers to provide them with round-the-clock security.

Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome FILE