November 16, 2024

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Meet Highly Trained Ex-Kibaki Bodyguard who once blocked Joho From Meeting Uhuru

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At the time Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho had become a thorn on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s skin, the Head of State was forced to do everything within his means to tame the firebrand ODM deputy party leader.

That was in 2017. At the time, Uhuru-Joho relationship had hit an all-time low. Just a few weeks earlier, the Mombasa County chief had publicly lectured the Head of State when he was commissioning a footbridge in the Coastal city. From there, the battle lines were drawn with the duo’s frosty relationship hitting the lowest point.

And so, Uhuru and his handlers came up with a trick to tame Joho. To ensure that the Governor no longer humiliates Uhuru in public, he was “banned” from attending all presidential functions- even those happening in his own county.

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho in a bitter exchange with Presidential Guard sub unit Commanding Officer George Nderitu in 2017 ( Photo Courtesy)

In March 2017, came a day of a major political showdown in Mombasa as Joho was blocked from attending Uhuru’s function in Likoni.

The President was in Mtongwe to officially launch new ferry to be used by residents to cross the Likoni channel.

The ambitions operation, which saw Joho blocked at the Nyali Bridge, was led by George Nderitu- the Presidential Guard sub unit Commanding Officer.

Nderitu proved to be more than a match for the Governor who was forced to abandon his plans to attend Uhuru’s function.

Retired President Mwai Kibaki with his then bodyguard George Nderitu ( Photo Courtesy)

Nderitu, who is now in-charge of Uhuru’s security was a long- serving retired President Mwai Kibaki bodyguard having worked with him since his days as opposition leader.

Upon Kibaki’s retirement, he was immediately absorbed to the Uhuru security detail, where he is today the man at the helm of the President’s security.