Ben Gethi’s career in Kenya’s security apparatus is marked by both historic milestones and deep controversy.
Appointed in 1967, Gethi became the first indigenous Kenyan to command the elite General Service Unit (GSU), a paramilitary wing of the police service tasked with high-level security operations.
His leadership coincided with a turbulent period in Kenya’s political history, including the assassination of Nyandarua North MP Josiah Mwangi Kariuki in 1975—a case that continues to haunt the nation.
Gethi’s name has long been linked to the murder of J.M. Kariuki, with some accounts alleging he personally fired the fatal shot. Though never officially convicted for the killing, the shadow of the incident followed him throughout his career.
After the dismissal of Benard Hinga, Gethi rose to become Kenya’s Police Commissioner, a role that placed him at the apex of law enforcement during President Daniel Arap Moi’s early years in office.
However, Gethi’s tenure came to a dramatic end in 1982 following the attempted coup against President Moi.
The failed uprising, led by elements within the Kenya Air Force, triggered a sweeping crackdown. Gethi was dismissed from his post, arrested, and jailed—his downfall compounded by renewed scrutiny over his alleged role in Kariuki’s death. From that point, Gethi’s influence waned, and he never regained his former stature.
Beyond his police career, Gethi’s name has surfaced in land disputes and personal controversies, including a reported incident involving Raila Odinga, where Gethi allegedly harassed the future opposition leader while intoxicated.
His legacy remains complex: a pioneer in Kenya’s security leadership, yet deeply entangled in some of the country’s most sensitive political episodes.
Decades later, unresolved land cases linked to Gethi continue to stir legal battles, reflecting the enduring imprint of his controversial legacy.
His story serves as a cautionary tale of power, accountability, and the long shadows cast by political violence.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/amp/article/2001370471/the-day-a-drunk-cop-ben-gethi-harassed-raila-odinga
https://nation.africa/kenya/news/exiles-half-a-century-later-gethi-land-case-shows-no-signs-of-ending-4026076
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