Parliament to Audit MPs’ Bodyguards Amid Abuse Claims

A team has been set up to audit all police bodyguards attached to Members of Parliament.

This follows complaints some MPs have up to ten bodyguards seconded to them.

The officers draw allowances from Parliamentary Service Commission.

A memo dated May 9, 2024 said the Commission Committee on Security and Development during its meeting held on April 9 2024 resolved that an audit of all police officers attached to Parliament and drawing police top-up allowance be done.

“In this regard, the Directorate of Human Capital and Administrative Services, the Directorate of Security and Safety Services and the Directorate of Sergeant-at-arms of both houses are carrying out a head count for all police officers attached to Parliament,” read the memo by the director general parliamentary joint service Clement Nyandiere.

The first phase of the headcount was carried out between April 22 2024 and April 26 2024.

The second phase of the headcount is for bodyguards/ protection officers for Members of Parliament is scheduled between May 17 and 24. The exercise requires the bodyguards/ protection officers to physically present themselves in person.

“Please communicate to Members of Parliament to inform their bodyguards/ protection officers to avail themselves in person and to bring photocopy of original national identity card, photocopy of C.O.A (Certificate of Appointment), posting order/ signal/ marching order, KRA Pin Certificate and digital passport-size photos to be taken at the security and safety offices.

Failure to participate will lead to officers being struck off the payroll, the memo added.

There are 12,000 officers assigned to various VIPs as drivers, bodyguards and even messengers.

Currently, all MPs and Cabinet Secretaries are entitled to at least one police guard and two each at their homes upcountry or in the city.

Several other individuals also have bodyguards. They include clerk of the House and Senate, Chief Justice and his or her deputy, Director of Public Prosecutions, Judges and Attorney General.

A bill lying in the House proposed among others the Controller of Budget and Auditor General to have one officer.

A team that was headed by former Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer Titus Naikuni had proposed that the officers be released to undertake their core responsibilities to avoid situations where many policemen are underutilised by being deployed to work for a few VIPs at the expense of the majority.

But the scenario remains the same. This is because almost one out of every seven police officers are deployed to guard the elite, leaving only about 70,000 to meet all the country’s policing needs.

Some top State officials each have up to a dozen bodyguards, stretching the capacity of the country’s service.

Tens of VIPs have up to 12,000 police officers assigned to them as bodyguards, cooks and messengers.

Apart from the President and his deputy, who have at least 200 and 45 security guards respectively, holders of sensitive dockets also have a high number of the 12,000 officers who provide security to VIPs.

While the size of the security detail varies according to the duties discharged by an official, and the level of risk, there have been concerns about the merit for some, especially those used to public displays of force.

Complaints have also been filed against senior officials who use their escorts with blaring sirens to break traffic rules, for instance driving on the wrong lanes and pushing other motorists out of the way.

All MPs are entitled to at least one police bodyguard each, and two each for their homes upcountry or in the city. Some policemen are also deployed to some of these VIPs as their drivers.

Governors, deputy governors, several chairmen of parliamentary committees, the Chief Justice, the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, the Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate, Inspector General of Police, his deputies are also in the league of the fortified.

These public officers each have a chase car, at least five guards, and another division protecting their spouses and children.

An unspecified number of influential personalities, former Cabinet members and retired public servants also have police guards – because of risks posed by decisions they made and information they accessed while in office.

Some parastatal chiefs, principal secretaries and even deputy secretaries are also entitled to police bodyguards. This is apart from APs assigned at every level of the provincial administration such as county and sub-county commissioners.