Digital strategist Dennis Itumbi has finally opened up about his fallout with former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Itumbi was speaking in an interview with media personality Willis Raburu on TV47’s Wabebe Experience show.
Having worked in the media industry for years, Itumbi says transitioning into the digital space early on elevated his career to a position in State House.
“I got bored after years of working for different media houses. It was the same thing every day. I went online and I loved the digital space,” he began.
Itumbi ventures into digital media
The 38-year-old would then turn his love for digital media into a successful business venture which eventually caught the attention of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“In 2010 I get this call and this guy says ‘I am Uhuru Kenyatta and I say I am the king of England because I thought it was a joke,” Itumbi narrated.
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To his dismay, however, the call gave birth to several meetings with Kenyatta and that is how he set up social media platforms for State House.
At the time, Itumbi says it was an uphill task elaborating the digital media space even to the President, who was gearing up for the 2017 general elections.
Itumbi propels Uhuru to presidency
Social media apparently played a huge role in the 2017 campaigns for Kenyatta and consequently made him fond of Itumbi.
Things took a bad turn in 2018 amid reports that the former head of state and his deputy William Ruto had fallen out because of the handshake with Raila Odinga.
“I remember getting a call as I returned home from a burial in Mwea. It was the president and he asked me why am not supporting him and I said I don’t understand,” Itumbi recalled.
Threats and Intimidation
He reportedly received threats and confronted Ruto over the matter but did not get the response he hoped for.
“I went straight to Harambee Annex and I asked the DP what was going and he said everything was okay between them.”
In the weeks that followed came arrests, job loss and harassment apparently for maintaining support for the then deputy president.
Itumbi stated that Kenyatta cut off communication with him and many others who pledged allegiance to the current President Ruto.
Itumbi: I have not blocked Uhuru
“He was the president and I was just a guy trying to make a living. It is up to him if he ever feels that he should ever give a call it’s up to him.
“I unlike Kimani Ichung’wah have not blocked him. If he called I would pick up but I am not desperate for his call,” Itumbi added.
To date, the digital strategist wonders why Kenyatta would fight him.
“I don’t have his wealth, I don’t have his position, I don’t have his kind of name. I am a small person in the view of what he has managed to build for himself and what has been built for him.”
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Itumbi was this year appointed as the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) in the Ministry of Information, Communication and Digital Economy. However, a petition filed in court rendered the position of CAS null and void.