Suspect shot two arrows at slain State House GSU officer, officials say

The suspect who attacked and killed a General Service Unit officer stationed at State House in Nairobi had shot two arrows targeting the victim, officials have revealed.

One of the arrows missed the target, who was Ramadhan Khamis Matanka before the second one hit him in the chest, police said.

It also emerged that the assailant Kinyuka Kinyumi, 56, had traveled from his Mwingi in Kitui County home with the mission.

He told police he was sent by the devil to attack the police.

But when he arrived at the scene which was outside Gate D at the official residence of president William Ruto at about 8.15 am he was carrying a sack and covered by a piece of shuka.

Police say he engaged the three security officers attached to the GSU’s G Company which protects State House and all State Lodges seeking to get into State House.

He was denied entry and told to seek an appointment.

The officers were not suspicious he was carrying the weapons.

Security cameras captured the drama which lasted about 15 meters and showed the officers directing him to leave the scene.

He then went behind a flower and removed his arrow and bow before he aimed at Matanka.

This was as the officer and his colleagues were busy engaging occupants of a car that had arrived at the site.

The footage showed Matanka falling backwards after being hit. He bled as the other colleagues rushed to help him.

The assailant tried to escape but tripped and fell down before the other GSU officers rushed to subdue him with his weapons.

The incident happened along Dennis Pritt Road as the slain officer and two others were inspecting a car that had two occupants ready to drive to State House.

President Ruto was then in State House preparing to leave for Konza City for an event.

Matanka was rushed to the Kenyatta National Hospital where he was pronounced dead while being attended to.

Police were grilling the suspect further to get more information on the murder. They wanted to know his background. He was taken to hospital for psychiatric tests and an injury he said he sustained on his left leg.

An autopsy was planned on the body of the slain officer at the KNH mortuary on October 14, 2025 after the family said they wanted to bury him.

The incident came hours after another GSU officer was strangled and drowned near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after an altercation with a man.

The assailant was arrested following the Sunday October 12, 2025 incident.

The slain officer was manning the JKIA fence when the incident happened.

State House and state lodges are guarded by the officers drawn from GSU’s G-Company. The team also guards the president’s homes and other premises.

The president also has the Presidential Escort Unit which is a fully-fledged team that can handle the movement of the President and his family anytime.