Digital and Diaspora Communications Senior Director at the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU), Dennis Itumbi, was on March 18, fired from his plum state job.
Four other state officials -James Kinyua (Directorate of Communication, Events, and Branding), Erick Ng’eno (Director of Messaging), David Nzioka (Directorate of Communication, Events, and Branding), and John Ndolo (Principal Information Officer – Head of Digital Strategies), were also sacked.
The vocal communication strategist happened to be celebrating his birthday, when the news of the contract termination broke.
On its part, the Public Service Commission announced that it had scrapped the five positions within PSCU due to redundancy.
“The contracts of the five are terminated in accordance with termination clauses to facilitate the payments of gratuities on pro-rata basis,” a letter copied to the Ministry of Public Service PS Mary Kimonye by PSC CEO Simon Rotich, reads in part.
However, Itumbi and his colleagues are believed to have had a fall out with President Uhuru Kenyatta long before their sacking.
The May 2015 terrorist attack on Kenya’s security forces in Yumbis, Garissa County, was a key turning point for the State House communications team.
Then Interior Cabinet Secretary Major-General (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery, was incensed when the official PSCU Twitter account announced that several officers had lost their lives, without verifying the information through him.
He issued the State House-based outfit with a stern warning, “What happened was a truly confusing situation. The fellows at State House must get this message right. If they misinform the public, we will get hold of them. We are looking at ways of dealing with it,” he stated.
Several leaders have since weighed in on Itumbi's sacking, key among them being Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Mukomen.
"Dear, Dennis Itumbi, James Kinyua, Erick Ng'eno, David Nzioka. You served the state with passion and commitment in the most difficult period; 3 elections and ICC. With Covid-19, it’s the worst time to lose a job. You are in my prayers. God will provide for you and your families. It is well!" Murkomen tweeted.
He went on to warn vocal lawyer Donald Kipkorir, over what he termed as celebrating an individual's downfall.
"Proverbs 24:17 -18 -Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble. For the Lord will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them," Murkomen told Kipkorir.
