NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 27- Deputy President William Ruto’s office has written to the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, demanding explanation over the ‘unlawful’ withdraw of elite officers guarding his office and home, all drawn from the General Service Unit.
The Deputy President has further declined the replacement of the GSU Officers’with those from the Administration Police service.
More than 15 General Service Unit officers guarding his private and official residences were on Thursday afternoon withdrawn, sparking sharp reactions from DP’s allies, who said his security has been compromised.
“The decision has been made contrary to the police service standing orders,” reads the letter to the IG, written by the Office of the Deputy President Chief of Staff, Amb. Ken Osinde.
“At this stage, no explanation has been offered for the strange and unlawful decision. The decision has been made contrary to the Police Service Standing Orders, Chapter 8 Section 5 (e), that the GSU Commandant shall be responsible for the President, Deputy President, State Houses and lodges.”
In the letter, Osinde terms the deployment of Administration Police officers as suspicious , saying the move is laced with illegality and fraud.
“This office demands the reinstatement of the GSU as provided by law to continue their lawful mandate at the Deputy President’s residences.
Further, he wonders why the highly trained GSU officers were withdrawn and whether there was an ill motive.
In the letter, Osinde narrates a chronology of events that police the Inspector General of Police aught to have addressed, but allegedly failed to.
They include locking out the Deputy President out of the official residence in Mombasa on January 2020.
According to the DP’s office, no explanation was offered. He remains locked out of the office.
In September last year, he said police turned a blind eye as violence rocked Kisii during a youth empowerment tour.
In August 24, this year, he said police “violently* dispersed mourners in Taita Taveta- during the burial ceremony of a former County legislator.
It happened before the arrival of the Deputy President.
The office further accused the IG of failing to investigate alleged plans to harm the Deputy President at a city hotel.
On Thursday, the National Police Service in a statement termed the withdrawal as normal redeployment.
The recent developments have been linked to the bitter fallout between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy.
Recently, the President in a meeting with editors from mainstream media houses accused the Deputy President of fighting the same Government he serves.
He asked him to resign, if he’s unhappy.
But in a quick rejoinder, the Deputy President vowed to soldier on, saying he didn’t have the luxury of resigning.
He said he is on a mission to economically liberate the poor.
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