State House guard death exposes security lapses

That a man armed with nothing more than a bow and arrow could walk across Nairobi’s heavily guarded Dennis Pritt Road and fatally wound a police officer at the gates of State House, one of Kenya’s most fortified installations, exposes a troubling national security lapse.

The shocking incident has now raised unsettling questions about how such a primitive weapon could breach the defenses of Kenya’s presidential residence, a facility guarded around the clock by elite officers. Security observers warn that lapses of this nature are too grave for the country to ignore.

Police Constable Ramadhan Matanka, of the elite General Service Unit (GSU), was killed on Monday morning at the gates of State House by a man identified as Kithuka Kimunyi Musyimi, 55, using only an arrow.

And as Musyimi limped into the courtroom on Tuesday, to face justice at the Kibera Law Courts, miles away in Kajiado, the family of the late Matanka was laying him to rest in an emotionally charged send-off that caught everyone off guard.

The 30-year-old officer, described as polite and soft-spoken, was buried on Tuesday evening in line with Islamic traditions at the Muslim cemetery in Kajiado County. He was enlisted in the National Police Service (NPS) in 2021.

His parents, now left childless, said their lives have been shattered by the brutal killing of their only son.

“I am appealing to the government to look into the security of the police officers who look after us. They are also our sons. We, as mothers, have children who serve this country. They are not animals. They are human beings," said Judith Cherotich, the mother of Ramadhan.

She said that her son’s death has left a void that words cannot fill. Ramadhan was her only child.

“Please, the government, we want justice for my son. I want justice for my baby. He was just doing his work. He was on duty. Why would he be killed like that?” she said.

According to a post-mortem report conducted at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) mortuary on Tuesday morning, the arrow pierced through his ribs and penetrated halfway into his heart.

“We want to know who this person is, what the motive is, and why police officers on duty at such a serious institution like State House can lose their lives. That lapse in security must be addressed,” said Hussein Khalid, the Executive Director of Vocal Africa, who witnessed the post-mortem.

Cherotich dismissed rumors suggesting that her son and the suspect may have known each other.

“That is a lie. We don’t even know him. We saw him for the first time on Monday. We have never seen him before," said Cherotich.
 
Meanwhile Musyimi, the suspect behind the killing was arraigned before the Kibera Law Courts, where police sought 14 days to continue holding him to complete investigations.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Musyimi had travelled from Makueni County on Sunday night before he committed the offence. 

The court heard that Musyimi released two arrows, one of which missed, while the second fatally struck Constable Matanka, while manning the security barrier.

In an affidavit filed in court, detectives allege that the suspect had concealed the bow and arrows in a blue sack, posing as a street dweller before attacking the officers.

Investigation Officer Inspector Bashir Boya opposed the suspect’s release on bail or bond, arguing that he had no known residence in Nairobi and was therefore a flight risk.

The DCI is seeking time to record witness statements and retrieve CCTV footage from State House Gate D and Dennis Pritt Road.

“The continued detention of the respondent is immensely necessary for the furtherance and finalizing of the investigations that includes locating, viewing, and retrieving CCTV footages at the gate as well as the IC3 cameras along Dennis Pritt Road by the Imaging and Acoustics Unit to establish what really transpired and also establish, track, and locate his accomplices (if any) in order to ascertain the motive behind the attack,” Boya said.

Musyimi did not oppose the DCI’s request for continued detention but urged the court to order that he be taken to the hospital for treatment, citing injuries, including one on his leg.

Consequently, Kibera Principal Magistrate Christine Njagi granted the DCI’s request to continue holding Musyimi at Kilimani Police Station pending completion of investigations.

She further directed that Musyimi, who appeared sickly and could hardly walk due to injuries on his left leg and face, be taken tothe  hospital for immediate medical attention.

The case will be mentioned on October 28, 2025.

Some security analysts, like George Musamali, however, view the incident as isolated and caution against reading too much into it at this stage.

“The truth is that there’s no such thing as absolute security anywhere. In the past, even Buckingham Palace and the White House have experienced breaches. We cannot say the State House was breached in this case because the incident occurred outside the perimeter walls of the installation. That said, it shouldn’t be downplayed. What’s needed now is a proper threat and risk analysis of State House and all State Lodges,” explains Musamali.

He adds that complacency is one of the biggest threats to security.

“Routine is dangerous. Our officers must always stay alert and engage in regular sensitisation to maintain vigilance. Security today is not the same as security yesterday — at all times, internal awareness must remain high,” says Musamali.

The G Company, which the late Matanka belonged to, is a specialised formation under the GSU tasked with protecting the President, State House, and official residences across the country. They are sometimes referred to as Presidential Guards.

It is among the GSU’s most prestigious and secretive sub-units, working alongside the Presidential Escort Unit and Recce Squad to secure the Head of State and the nation’s most sensitive installations.

The distance from the main road to State House Gate D, where the incident happened, is about 50 metres, and it remains one of the most heavily protected zones in Nairobi. This is partly because former President Uhuru Kenyatta also accesses his Nairobi residence through the same gate.

A series of roadblocks stands before Gate D, each manned by two fully armed officers. The sentry itself is guarded by between four and six officers, while the waiting bay has another four on standby. Along the entire stretch are 360 CCTV cameras providing all-round surveillance coverage.

Inside the State House, The Standard could not reveal the exact number of G Company personnel and their families residing in the compound due to the sensitivity of the matter and a request from a senior officer attached to the unit.

Close presidential protection is divided between the Presidential Escort Unit and the G Company, both under GSU. The Escort officers are the more visible ones, often seen in suits and dark glasses, with earpieces running discreetly beneath their collars. The G Company officers, on the other hand, are easily recognisable in their combat gear and tactical weapons, typically forming the rear of the presidential motorcade.

While Gate D, where the incident happened, serves as the main entrance for State House staff and visitors, Gate A is reserved for the President, ministers, ambassadors, diplomats, and visiting heads of state or government.

A source said that Gate B is largely unused, while Gate C, opposite Nairobi Primary School, is used for large delegations and events as it opens directly to the main grounds where major gatherings are held.

This incident comes barely months after the Gen Z breach into Parliament, which also exposed glaring security lapses.

During President Daniel arap Moi’s era, Kenya witnessed one of the most bizarre security breaches in State House history.

In December 2002, a man named Onyango Mono, claiming to be a pastor, managed to sneak into the heavily guarded State House, Nairobi. Armed only with a cross and a sword, he reportedly entered the compound unnoticed and spent the night inside.

By morning, guards were stunned to find him asleep on a carpet outside the President’s office, a few metres from where the Head of State conducted official business. When questioned, Mono calmly explained that he had come with a message from God, instructing President Moi to hand over power immediately.

Years later, under President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, there was another scare when a man was arrested after scaling the perimeter wall of State House in Nairobi. Details of how far he managed to get remain murky.

In 2015, during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure, another serious lapse was reported when a man identified as Isaac Omondi gained access to State House grounds in Nairobi, claiming he was there to seek help from the President. The intruder was quickly subdued, but the incident triggered an internal shake-up within the Presidential Guard Unit.

Report by Emmanuel Kipchumba, Nancy Gitonga and David Odongo.