President William Ruto's appointments since his September 13 inauguration have proven that he is a man who rewards loyalty.
Among Ruto's long-time allies that were appointed to State House on Friday, October 14, was David Mugonyi, who was tasked with leading the Presidential Communication Service (PCS).
He will be deputized by former Citizen TV anchor, Hussein Mohamed, who was appointed as State House spokesperson.
The duo will be tasked with helping Ruto communicate his policies and plans for the country.
Unknown to many, Mugonyi has served under Ruto since 2013, when the former was elected as Deputy President in the Jubilee regime.
At the time, he was appointed as the spokesperson and the communication secretary in the Office of the Deputy President(ODP).
Unlike other members of Ruto's communication team, like communication director, Emmanuel Talam, and digital strategist, Dennis Itumbi, Mugonyi shied away from the public limelight but occasionally tweeted and responded to media queries.
For instance, he spoke against the withdrawal of Ruto's security guards months before the August 9 polls.
However, despite maintaining a low profile, insiders indicate that he is more vocal behind the scenes and holds influence in Ruto's inner circles. Hence, his appointment did not come as a surprise to those close to the head of state.
Prior to joining Ruto's communication team in 2013, he served as the head of the parliamentary press unit.
His close friends describe him as a competent communication expert who gets the job done - a quality that has enabled him to maintain his friendship with Ruto for nearly a decade.
Mugonyi is an alumnus of the University of Nairobi (UoN), where he graduated with a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Degree in Education.
He also holds a Master's in International Journalism from City University in the United Kingdom (UK).
