After yesterday’s Jamhuri day celebrations at the Nyayo stadium, many Kenyans and members of the military and law enforcement community noticed something very unusual about one of Uhuru’s bodyguards,
For some, maybe the most intriguing moment of the whole spectacle was the unusual behavior of one man: Not president Uhuru, but rather a bodyguard, who accompanied Uhuru Kenyatta along the Jamhuri day parade route. Now, a network of internet sleuths are trying to figure out what it means.
In the picture, the bodyguard’s hands are held conspicuously in front of him, one held over the other. Seems normal enough, right?
Well, that depends on how you think arms should behave. Because instead of moving around — the way human arms tend to do — the agent’s arms seem to stay permanently fixed in the same awkward position for the entire procession.
That’s a long time for a person to hold their arms in such a way. Something’s going on here.
Joined leaders and fellow Kenyans at the colourful commemoration of the 55th Jamhuri Day. As a people we should pull together as we proceed with the task of building a truly united country. Happy #JamhuriDay pic.twitter.com/8V7zGOld4e
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) December 12, 2018
It didn’t take long for conspiracy theories about the bodyguard with the mysteriously stiff arms to begin circulating on the internet. The most popular, and reasonable, theory is that the arms aren’t real. They’re decoys.
According to that theory, the fake arms would have allowed the bodyguard to carry a rifle beneath his coat, which many sleuths pointed out was unusually large and boxy. Then, if someone attacked, surprise!: the bodyguard’s real arms would emerge from the coat with the rifle and, using his real trigger finger, he’d swiss-cheese the assailant.