Itumbi gets cozy with DP Ruto ahead of 2022 campaigns
Former director of digital communications at State House Dennis Itumbi has increasingly become cozy with Deputy President William Ruto at the expense of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Once a fanatic of President Kenyatta, Mr Itumbi’s personal social media accounts are now littered with updates from the DP – and few from the head of state.
Mr Itumbi has since changed his bio on Twitter to read, “Secretary Digital. Innovations&Diaspora Comms.”
Lately, he has taken centre stage in fronting the DP’s social media chatter including revitalizing his accounts and use of hashtags.
On Monday, he headed the social chatter around an event where the DP alongside CS Margaret Kobia and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana launched the National Youth Week, in Makueni County.
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Earlier, on Sunday, Mr Itumbi widely shared the updates when the DP attended a service at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Mathaithi, Nyeri County.
But reached for comment on whether he had shifted camps from Mr Kenyatta’s to Mr Ruto’s, he said: “There are no camps… it has always been Jubilee.”
Mr Itumbi has also in the past said he has the right to work for Mr Ruto since he is employed by the Presidency, which includes President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto.
The journalist played a pivotal role in the election of Mr Kenyatta and his deputy – in both the 2013 and 2017 – leading the online strategy that included both propaganda and rebuttals.
Most of the accounts that he opened and fronted were however shut last month by new State House spokesperson Kanze Dena.