Troubles that resulted in Dennis Itumbi being kicked out of Uhuru’s wing

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory in 2013 elections is ascribed to his aggressive digital campaign machinery — with Dennis Itumbi among those tasked to spruce up his image.

Dennis Itumbi is credited with leading a successful smear campaign against opposition leader Raila Odinga that shifted the current in favour of Uhuru in the polls.

He was later appointed State House Director of Digital Communication under banner of the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU), a position that proved to his kryptonite.

Throughout his tenure, Dennis Itumbi gained notoriety as a political mercenary and was instrumental in countering Raila’s narrative, especially in the lead up to the highly contested 2017 polls.

Prior to the 2013 elections, Itumbi had on several occasions crossed swords with the International Criminal Court and local detectives over his postings on social media on the then ongoing case against Uhuru, Deputy President William Ruto and four others at The Hague-based court.

But claims of infighting, sabotage and insubordination saw Dennis Itumbi and his ilk fired in a shock decision by State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita.

Others were senior directors, James Kinyua (Events/Branding), Edward Irungu (Press), Munyori Buku (External Communications/Media) and Eric Ng’eno (Speech writing and Research).

They were later reinstated but moved to the Deputy President William Ruto’s Harambee House Annex.

On social media, Itumbi has been an ardent campaigner of Ruto’s bid to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2022.