- A GSU officer who was the bodyguard of Governor George Natembeya when violence broke out during a campaign meeting in Kachubai has opened up about the incident
- The officer, Robert Wechuli, was caught bravely jumping on top of the car and using his body to protect Natembeya
- During the incident, one person died while several vehicles in Natembeya’s convoy were damaged
Bungoma: When violence broke out during the height of the Chwele-Kabuchai by-election campaign, the actions of one security officer caught the attention of many.
Source: Facebook
A General Service Unit (GSU) officer tasked with protecting Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya was seen jumping into a car to protect the county head from danger.
Natembeya was in the area shouting in support of an independent candidate when the incident happened.
Who is the GSU officer who protected Natembeya during the Kabuchai unrest?
Despite the scenes of violence, the sound of gunshots ringing in the air, and panicked locals scattering to hide after the suspected attacks by hooligans, the officer, Corporal Robert Wechuli, made sure the man he was responsible for protecting was safe.
Wechuli spoke to TUKO.co.ke about the incident whose videos went viral on various social networks.
He said that after Natembeya’s meeting was abruptly interrupted, he had to act quickly to ensure the safety of the governor.
“I was doing my job anyway; sometimes VIP protection is not just about wearing a nice suit and being alert. You need to be careful, quick and smart to make sure your boss is on the safer side, and that’s what I did,” the GSU official told TUKO.co.ke exclusively.
He recalled that as soon as the meeting was disrupted, his instincts kicked in and without hesitation, he jumped on the roof of the governor’s car, his body as a human barrier, ensuring his safety before quickly persuading him to take cover.
While the move put him in potential danger, he knew it was part of his job. He pushed Natembeya down and into the car with force, shielding him from harm as more shots were fired.
“That was an experience I hadn’t experienced in a while, and I’ve been wondering if we can go as far as a country,” he said.
Source: UGC
The chaos resulted in the death of one person while several vehicles in Natembeya’s convoy were reportedly damaged.
The attack was linked by some to the ongoing rivalry and battle for control of the vote-rich Western Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Is Natembeya’s popularity increasing?
Natembeya has been defaming veteran politicians in the area, including the Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula, whose party FORD Kenya had a candidate in the Chwele-Kabuchai by-election.
The candidate was eventually defeated by an independent candidate that Natembeya was campaigning for.
The governor and his allies, including the Member of Parliament for Kabuchai Maji Kalasinga, accused the Wetang’ula camp of organizing the violence to intimidate opponents.
“They know exactly what they planned, and if you look at the plan, as a security expert, I can tell you that the plan was to cause violence, then they blamed me and after everything they did, but it is in the public domain that they were planning to attack us. It is a fact that this is not the first time,” said Natembeya.
Source: Facebook
Was Natembeya’s security detail withdrawn?
Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that Interior Cabinet Secretary Dating Murkomen had confirmed the withdrawal of Governor Natembeya’s security details.
The security was withdrawn a day before the highly contested Malava parliamentary by-elections, in which the governor was heavily involved in the campaigns.
Murkomen explained why the government recalled Natembeya’s security detail alongside that of several other leaders, including Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
