Has Ruto dumped Itumbi?

• Feb 15, 2022

Has Ruto dumped Itumbi?

By John Kamau, editor, thingira.org

The attendance of Deputy President William Ruto Digital Strategist, Dennis Itumbi’s (pictured) thanksgiving ceremony at Kitharaini ACK in Gichugu Constituency in Kirinyaga County on Sunday, February 13, 2022, spoke volumes about the fall out between the two.

While Itumbi had invited all the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) bigwigs including Ruto, with majority of them confirming attendance, come the big day none of the UDA big shots showed up.

The only UDA attendees were National Elections Chairman Anthony Mwaura, National Executive Council member, Edward Muriu, MPs George Koimburi (Juja), Njuguna Ka Wanjiku (Kiambaa) and Jane Kihara (Naivasha).

The new UDA kid on the bloc, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru equally gave the ceremony a wide berth.

Also, none of the Kalenjin MPs including Kapsaret’s Oscar Sudi and Elgeyo/Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen attended the function though they had confirmed attendance.

The only Kalenjin present was Ruto’s brother, David, who does not go along well with the Deputy President.

Even the MCAs in Gichugu, most of who are UDA members, gave the ceremony cum political rally masked as thanksgiving day, a wide berth.

The notable figures in attendance included journalist Wanjohi Githae, UDA Director of Communications and Josiah Muriguh, a photo journalist cum aspirant for the Kirinyaga senatorial seat.

 Even former Citizen TV presenter, Jack Maribe gave the ceremony a wide berth.

There are reports Ruto’s eldest son, Nick, had confirmed he would attend the ceremony but come the big day he was no show.

According to sources, Ruto and Itumbi fell out after the digital strategist informed his boss he will not be there for him during the elections as he is eyeing the Gichugu parliamentary seat.

Itumbi, sources added, has realised Ruto’s quest for presidency is doomed and that is why he wants to seek an elective seat to be assured of a salary in the next administration.

Currently, Itumbi’s upkeep is met by a Kikuyu businessman who is keen to please Ruto hoping if the Deputy President gets power he will be rewarded with government contracts.

Concerned that Ruto’s ambition of ruling Kenya might hit a wall, Itumbi told the second in command he wants to focus on the Gichugu parliamentary seat election, a move that is detrimental to Ruto since he had planned to have him remain as his reliable blogger even beyond the election.

It is after this that Ruto ordered a cut off of the flow of information (intelligence and strategy) to Itumbi and hence starved the Hustler Nation Intelligence Bureau (HNIB) the evidence to communicate to the masses.

Unaware that he was no longer among Ruto’s most trusted allies, Itumbi invited the Deputy President and senior Tangatanga members to the thanksgiving well in advance and the Deputy President confirmed he would attend.

But come Wednesday last week and Itumbi was informed, through the new Press Secretary, Hussein Mohammed that the Deputy President would not go to Kirinyaga but instead would be in Baringo for a Kenya Kwanza rally.

What followed was the entire Hustler Nation elite skipping the charade candidature announcement of Itumbi for the Gichugu seat.

On Sunday, Itumbi had a team of twitter influencers push a tag, Itumbi4Gichugu that was doing very well until Ruto through Sudi decided otherwise.

It is now established that the wanton and malicious attack by Sudi, read William Ruto, to blogger Pauline Njoroge was a diversionary move to shift focus from Itumbi and thus deny him the hype and social media clout that he was going to get, and it worked perfectly.

Sources added that Itumbi has told friends he will be considering his options on whether to continue vying or go back to blogging and not necessarily for Ruto.

There are reports Itumbi is now ready to spill the beans on those who attacked him in December 2021.

 “It's hard to reconcile the facts and conclude if it's Dennis who wants out or it's Ruto who has dropped Dennis or both,” a source said.

The digital strategist held a thanksgiving ceremony at Kitharaini ACK in Gichugu where his mother, Catherine Wanjiku revealed that he was always radical since childhood.

She told members of the public that she came to understand her son with time.

She revealed that he was always at the centre of school strikes and at one particular time, he was expelled from school after resigning as a Prefect. Itumbi had claimed that he did not support the school’s policy and thus expelled.

The digital strategist’s father, Patrick Itumbi showered him with blessings and encouraged him to fight for what he believes in.

He recounted how the blogger’s abduction affected their family. He received the news while travelling to Nairobi.

Itumbi revealed the thanksgiving ceremony was scheduled to take place two days before the blogger’s abduction and the family was shocked by the coincidence.

The Deputy President brother, David, who attended the ceremony described Itumbi as a man who has transformed the DP’s leadership where youths have been incorporated.

He added that through the radico movement, Itumbi has reached many youths and has convinced them to join the UDA party.