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Itumbi tells Gachagua ‘Githinji’ name fits Ruto perfectly
02nd November, 2025 07:14 AM
The Head of Presidential Special Projects and the Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, has backed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s recent remarks by saying President William Ruto’s new nickname, ‘Githinji’, suits him well.
In a post shared online on Sunday, November 2, 2025, Itumbi said, “Yes, Gachagua, @WilliamsRuto GITHINJI/KITHINJI. Hio jina iko sawa kabisa. He joins a list of thousands of Mt. Kenya sons and daughters who carry the name as a first name or surname.”
Itumbi’s comment followed Gachagua’s recent revelation explaining why he had stayed away from political events and public statements for close to two weeks. His remarks came during the funeral of six family members who died in a road accident in Murang’a County on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
Also watch: “I don’t mind being called Zakayo, I’m doing this for our country,” Ruto
While addressing the crowd, Gachagua said, “Mimi niseme, ndio Githinji askie mahali ako. Sisi wewe Githinji tulikuchagua. Tulikupenda, tukakupatia kura zetu zote. Ukakua mfalme, ukafika mahali ukatusaliti,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua explains his silence
During the ceremony, Gachagua said his absence from the public was a personal decision to reflect and assess the current political atmosphere. He told mourners that he had chosen to remain quiet for a while to observe the country’s direction before making any political comments.
“And I do not want to comment on many reasons because, as you know, I have been silent for over two weeks. A Kikuyu proverb says that sometimes, even if you know how to sing, you at times just decide to watch, not because you do not know how to sing, but because you want to make an observation,” he said.
Also watch: Wamalwa defends Gachagua’s absence from Raila’s funeral
The former deputy president’s statement came amid growing speculation about his relationship with President Ruto and the internal political alignments within the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Itumbi’s public reaction to Gachagua’s remarks appeared to affirm unity, suggesting that Ruto’s association with the name “Githinji” symbolically connects him with the Mt Kenya community, where the name is common.
By saying the name “fits perfectly”, Itumbi implied that the President’s leadership and engagement style resonates well with the region’s cultural identity and values. Both Gachagua and Itumbi have, at one point, been key figures in President Ruto’s political circle.
