Long serving head of security in the office of President William Ruto was on Friday promoted and named new Presidential Escort Unit (PEU) Commandant.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police Oloonkishu Yiampoy has served as the head of security in the Office of the Deputy President for a decade.
An expert in VIP protection having served in the Presidential Escort for 26 years, the new commandant is a graduate from Egerton University.
Yiampoy takes over from the Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police Josphat Kirimi who has been promoted to the National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Kirimi takes over from Charlton Mureithi who passed on in August after an illness.
Kirimi worked as the commander of the General Service Unit’s Recce squad which is responsible for the president’s security.
Recce Squad is detailed to protect the President, his family and the Deputy President.
They are specially trained for VIP protection.
More than 20 other officers who served under Ruto while he was the DP were recently promoted on merit. They include those who protected the First Lady Rachael Ruto.
Together with his family, the President has about 200 security guards drawn from the GSU.
State House and state lodges are guarded by the officers drawn from GSU’s G-Company.
PEU is a fully-fledged team, which can handle the movement of the President and his family anytime.
They, however, usually get the help of the local police whenever the President visits.
