A shocking incident unfolded on Monday morning after a police officer attached to the General Service Unit (GSU) was speared to death outside the State House gate in Nairobi. The attack occurred around 11 a.m. outside Gate D, which serves as the public access point to the presidential residence.
According to witnesses, the assailant approached the area pretending to be a member of the street families and was carrying a sack that concealed a spear. He reportedly hid behind a flower bed before suddenly attacking the officer, striking him on the left side of the chest. The officer was on duty with two colleagues at the time, engaged in checking and clearing a vehicle entering the premises.
The victim, a member of the GSU’s G Company, was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival due to excessive bleeding. The attack sent shockwaves through the high-security zone, especially since President William Ruto was inside State House preparing to leave for an official trip to Konza City in Machakos County.
Security was immediately heightened following the incident, with officers raising the alarm and swiftly apprehending the suspect at the scene. The man, identified as a 56-year-old Kenyan, was arrested without resistance. Investigators said he claimed that “satan sent him” to carry out the killing. Authorities opted not to open fire during the arrest, choosing instead to capture him alive for interrogation to determine the motive behind the attack.
Senior police officials, including those from Kilimani Police Station and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, visited the scene and later went to the hospital where the officer’s body was taken. Preliminary investigations are underway to uncover the motive and whether the assailant had prior knowledge of the slain officer.
The shocking event came barely a day after another GSU officer was reportedly strangled and drowned near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport following an altercation with a man who has since been arrested.
Officers from the GSU’s G Company are responsible for guarding the State House, state lodges, and presidential residences across the country. They also provide security for the President and his family, alongside the Presidential Escort Unit. Monday’s attack has raised fresh questions about security around key national installations and the increasing risks faced by officers on duty.
