NAIROBI, Kenya — The National Police Service has moved to reinforce the Presidential Escort Unit (PEU) following a brief but high-profile security breach during President William Ruto’s public engagement in Kilifi County, triggering a reshuffle affecting senior officers within the elite presidential security formation.
At the centre of the changes is William Kiptoo Sawe, a career commando drawn from the General Service Unit and Recce Company, who has been appointed the new PEU Commandant, replacing Noah Kirwa Maiyo.
Sawe’s appointment, announced on Sunday, May 24, 2026, by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, places him back in familiar operational terrain, having previously served in senior roles within both the GSU and Recce formations before being deployed to Recce Company command in 2025.
The reshuffle follows a security incident in Kilifi where an individual managed to briefly breach the presidential security perimeter during a public event, prompting an immediate review of protective protocols around the Head of State.
In the latest adjustments, Maiyo has been transferred to Kenya Police Headquarters under the Vigilance Department, while Deputy Commandant Juda Mathews Gwiyo has been directed to proceed on leave pending retirement.
George Kirera has been moved from Staffing Officer Personnel within PEU to Deputy Commandant of the unit, while Josphat Sirma has been elevated from Deputy Commander of the Recce Sub Unit to Commanding Officer of the elite formation.
In addition, Rere Kipkoech has been transferred from Deputy SOB1 to Vigilance House at Kenya Police Headquarters.
The National Police Service said the changes take effect immediately.
The reshuffle comes amid heightened scrutiny of presidential security arrangements following the Kilifi incident, which security agencies have described as a serious breach, despite officers quickly containing the situation and preventing escalation.
Inspector General Douglas Kanja has since directed a special investigation into the circumstances surrounding the lapse, emphasising that the safety of the Head of State remains a matter of national security.
“The security of the Head of State will always be treated with the highest level of seriousness,” Kanja said, while warning that any compromise within protective formations would not be tolerated.
The Kilifi episode is the latest in a series of public-event security scares involving the President, prompting internal reviews within the PEU and allied formations.
In February 2026, a similar incident occurred in Wajir during the Nyota programme rollout, when an individual attempted to access the podium before being restrained by security officers.
Days earlier in Mombasa, another man briefly ran towards the President during a public address before being intercepted.
In May 2025, Ruto also narrowly avoided a projectile thrown towards the dais during a rally in Migori, an incident that later led to adjustments in crowd control protocols.
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The Presidential Escort Unit—drawn primarily from elite GSU and Recce formations—operates as the core protective detail for the President and his immediate family, supported by National Intelligence Service officers and regional police deployments during public engagements.
The unit typically coordinates with local police commanders during presidential visits, ensuring layered perimeter security and controlled public access.
While authorities maintain that presidential protection remains robust, the recent incidents have intensified focus on operational discipline, response timing, and crowd management protocols within the security architecture.
The latest reshuffle is widely viewed as part of a broader effort to tighten command structures and eliminate potential vulnerabilities within the President’s protective detail.
