A General Service Unit (GSU) officer attached to the State House in Nairobi has died following a shocking spear attack on Monday morning.
According to preliminary police reports, the officer, who was manning Gate D of the State House together with colleagues, was fatally attacked around 11 a.m. by a man armed with a spear.
Authorities say the assailant, a 56-year-old Kenyan man, approached the heavily guarded area disguised as a street dweller and carrying a sack with the weapon hidden inside.
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He reportedly hid behind a flower bed before suddenly emerging and stabbing the officer in the left side of the chest.
The injured officer, attached to the G Company of the GSU, was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) but was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said he had already suffered severe bleeding by the time he reached the hospital.
The suspect was quickly subdued and arrested at the scene. During initial questioning, he allegedly told police that he had been “sent by Satan” to commit the act. Investigators say the motive behind the killing remains unclear.
At the time of the incident, the officer and two colleagues were conducting a routine inspection of a vehicle entering the State House compound — a standard security procedure.
The attack triggered heightened security measures within the State House grounds, especially since President William Ruto was reportedly present and preparing to leave for Konza City in Machakos County at the time.
State House and other presidential residences are primarily guarded by officers from the GSU’s G Company, a specialized unit responsible for protecting the President and securing all State Houses and State Lodges.
They work in close coordination with the Presidential Escort Unit, which provides round-the-clock protection to the President and his family.
Security sources estimate that about 200 GSU officers are deployed to guard the President and his immediate surroundings, with support from local police when the Head of State travels.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about security lapses at one of Kenya’s most protected installations, given that Gate D is known to be open to the public for controlled access and visitor screening.
Meanwhile, detectives are investigating whether the attacker had any personal connection to the slain officer or if the assault was part of a broader plot.
The killing comes barely a day after another GSU officer was murdered near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). In that separate case, the officer guarding the airport’s perimeter fence was reportedly strangled and drowned following an altercation with a man. The suspect was arrested soon after the Sunday, October 12, attack.
Police say investigations into both incidents are ongoing.