A bodyguard escorting the National Social Security Fund chairman lost his pistol after the official convoy was involved in a serious accident in Embu County on July 6.

Police have launched investigations to locate the missing firearm and understand the circumstances around its disappearance.

The incident occurred as the convoy followed President William Ruto’s motorcade along the Meru-Embu Road.

The vehicle carrying the NSSF chairman David Kariuki, his driver, and the bodyguard crashed at Kapingazi Bridge after colliding with another car and plunging into a nearby river.

Tragically, a female motorcycle passenger involved in the crash died, while the motorcycle rider suffered serious injuries. Kariuki and the security team were injured but with minor wounds and were promptly taken to hospital for treatment.

After the accident, the bodyguard realized his Beretta pistol, loaded with 15 bullets, was missing. Attempts to recover the weapon at the scene were met with hostility from a gathering crowd, forcing him to retreat. The crowd later set the crashed vehicle on fire.

He was admitted to Embu Level Four Hospital for treatment and was later discharged.

Police responded to the scene, dispersing the mob and reopening the busy highway for traffic flow. The search for the missing firearm remains active as authorities express concern over its potential misuse.

In a related incident in Narok County, a police officer lost a Jericho pistol magazine containing 15 rounds during protests held on Saba Saba day. That case is also under police inquiry.

Authorities warn that firearm losses in public incidents raise serious security issues, especially as road accidents continue to claim lives daily across the country. On average, five people—mostly motorcycle riders and pedestrians—die in separate accidents each day, with many more suffering injuries that burden families financially.

Efforts to reduce road crashes include an ongoing campaign led by officials, aiming to improve road safety and prevent further fatalities.