Guard who helped Uhuru flout security protocol at State House

Retired Constable Nelson Kiprotich. [Harun Wathari, Standard}

Senior politicians’ family members, especially their children, often have limited freedom to interact with communities around them, a lot of the time for security reasons.

As a child of a sitting president, it is even harder to casually walk in and out of State House and other private residences without adhering to fairly restraining security protocols.

As a youth, President Uhuru Kenyatta was not an exception. However, he risked and sneaked out, albeit for short periods.

This happened with the help of one of his father’s guards, Constable Nelson Komen Chepkonga Kiprotich, who is now retired.

Mr Kiprotich joined the General Service Unit (GSU) in 1969 and was attached to the B-Company based in Embakasi.

“We formed the late former President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s Presidential Guard. I had various postings, including Statehouse in Nairobi and Nakuru, and his Ichaweri home,” said Mr Kiprotich.

According to his national identity card, Mr Kiprotich, now 73, was born in 1949 in Eldama Ravine, Baringo, though he claims that his actual year of birth was altered from 1945. “I was an athlete in primary school. I caught the attention of senior GSU officers who facilitated my recruitment. Mzee Kenyatta was also a personal friend to my late grandfather,” said Mr Kiprotich.

Being picked to serve as a presidential guard to Mzee Kenyatta brought the two families even closer, though Mr Kiprotich’s interaction with the former president remained official and professional.

He says he was free with the rest of his family, especially President Kenyatta, who used to request to be allowed out on his own for a short walk.

“I understood the risk that would come with letting him out on his own. Most of the time we interacted at the Caledonia Gate of Mama Ngina’s residence. He always kept his word and returned within the agreed half an hour,” said Mr Kiprotich.

Though he can’t recall the exact year and date, Mr Kiprotich said one of his momentous experiences as a presidential guard was when former Uganda President Idi Amin visited Nairobi.

“We had instructions to briefly stop him at the entrance and announce his arrival. We started chitchat which made us forget the instructions. Amin and his escort arrived and only recalled the instructions as he was being driven towards the State House,” recalled Kiprotich.

Retired Constable Nelson Kiprotich during an interview with the Standard at his home in Kabarak on March 16, 2022. [Harun Wathari, Standard}

He said a corporal who was in charge of the gate was moved back to Embakasi while he and his colleagues were only given a warning.

He described the night of August 22, 1978, when Jomo Kenyatta died as the most heartbreaking moment of his career as he was among the first people who learnt about the death.

“I was in an office where the then Vice President Daniel Moi, who was at his Kabarak farm was linked with Mombasa Provincial Commissioner in a phone call relaying the bad news.”

He added; “We had to suppress our emotions from the rest until the news was officially broken at 1pm the following day.” 

Mr Kiprotich continued to serve as a presidential guard until 1981 when he took a gratuity, then retired to take care of his ageing parents. He had served the country for 12 years.

He explained that on the day he left service, he briefly interacted with Uhuru, an opportunity that presented itself again 32 years later.

“Uhuru came to Eldama Ravine to campaign in 2013. I approached him and he immediately recognised me. He instructed a local politician to help me secure an appointment with him after campaigns, but this has not materialised,” said Mr Kiprotich.

According to Mr Kiprotich, the politician fell out with Mr Kenyatta and has been taking him in circles when he reminds him of the President’s approved appointment.

“Age is catching up and it is my great wish to meet Uhuru before he leaves office. It was my great joy to see him, a youth I protected, become the President of this country,” he said.

As an ex-GSU officer, his high levels of discipline and strong Christian values saw him join a local church, where he was appointed a preacher and is today known as Reverend Nelson.

“I have been a pastor at New Life Christian Church in my village since my retirement from the police service. With my advanced age, I am gradually being relieved of my duties,” said Mr Kiprotich.

During his free time, Mr Kiprotich tends to crops and rabbits at his farms in Eldama Ravine and Kabarak. He has challenged youth in the police service to maintain high levels of discipline and live within their means. “Struggle for quick riches is the greatest undoing for the current youth. There can never be a challenge too big for you if you are in a job that you really wanted,” said Mr Kiprotich.

He further appealed to youth to perform their roles with dedication, noting that security breaches witnessed several times lately were unheard of during their time in service.