Hard questions over daring raid on William Ruto’s home

Deputy President William Ruto’s rural residence in Uasin Gishu County was on Saturday under siege by an unknown number of attackers with elite police officers fighting to reclaim control.

Questions remained on how such a daring attack could be allowed to happen even as the siege, which started after midday, went on late into the night with sporadic gunshots all day.

The unknown number of attackers stormed the heavily guarded home, at Sugoi in Turbo, barely an hour after Mr Ruto had left to join President Uhuru Kenyatta on the campaign trail in Kitale in the neighbouring Trans Nzoia County.

The DP, the second most guarded citizen after the President, is said to have left the residence for the Kitale rally at 11 am.

But after midday, gunshots rent the air as the General Service Unit (GSU) officers drawn from the Presidential Guard who were on duty at the residence, struggled to repulse the attackers but were overpowered and, minutes after, the intruders were said to have gained access.

DREW A SWORD

A source close to the DP told the Nation that the attackers, who he said were “at least four”, approached the security detail stationed at the main gate, posing as visitors who wanted to see Mr Ruto.

As the head of the security team approached them, one of them drew a sword and slashed his hand before snatching his gun which he used to shoot the officer in the leg.

The attackers then stormed  the compound and headed for the second gate, about 70 meters from the first one. They were, however, engaged by the other security officers who had heard the first gunshots, forcing the attackers to retreat towards the main gate.

It is said the attackers decided to take cover in the armoury, located near the main gate.

What followed was a Westgate-type siege that went on for hours and, by the time of going to press, sporadic could still be heard from the fortified compound. It was not clear if there were any fatalities.

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BOINNET

A statement issued by the Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet last night blamed the incident on a lone attacker had approached the outer gate of the residence and attacked a security officer on duty with a machete.

“Today (Saturday), at about 12 noon, an individual approached the outer gate at Deputy President’s rural residence in Sugoi, Uasin Gishu County.

In circumstances that are yet unclear, he hit an officer on duty severally with a machete and managed to enter the farm complex. Other officers were quickly mobilised and the intruder was forced to hide at a building that is still under construction next to the gate,” Mr Boinnet stated.

The statement added that the DP and his family were not at the residence when the attack occurred.

It also added that the officer who was attacked was undergoing treatment and was in a stable condition. But it was not clear why such a large number of elite officers took hours to gain control of the compound from a supposed single attacker.

RECCE SQUAD

The Nation established that the Recce Squad deployed to reclaim the home were under instructions to arrest the attackers.

When the Nation team arrived at the home after midday, there was sporadic firing that went on after dark.

There was a lull for some hours after but the officers were said to have been planning to storm the building where the attackers were said to be holed up before darkness fell.

A dozen elite officers from Recce unit arrived at the home around 2.45 pm and took over the operation to fight the attackers from the regular police officers who had been posted earlier. Another group of Recce members landed in a police helicopter around 3.30 pm.
The regular officers stayed hundreds of metres away as they kept a ballooning crowd away from the home.

SPENT TWO NIGHTS

The Deputy President had spent two nights at the home prior to the attack.

Five armed warriors, keen to protect the DP, responded to the attack with bows and arrows.

They were, however, pushed back by armed policemen who told them that their help was not needed in a fight involving heavy gunfire.

On Friday, the Deputy President attended a rally at Kapsabet Showground in Nandi.

The number of attackers were not clear yesterday but it was confirmed they had managed to enter the armoury.

MANDAGO

The operation to take back the residence was led by Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musiambo who was joined by other senior county security officers including the County Commissioner Abdi Hassan.

Local leaders led by Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago arrived at the scene although they were also kept hundreds of metres away.

Around  6 pm, Mr Mandago asked residents to move far away, saying a more comprehensive operation was about to start.

“I ask you to move away from here; what is about to start here is serious,” he told the residents.

Residents said they heard gunshots around 1pm.

A number of officers were said to have been injured during the operation that was still going on as late as 7pm.

A number of ambulances belonging to the Red Cross arrived at the scene around 5 pm but did not leave.