On Monday, January 24, Deputy President William Ruto announced the appointment of veteran journalist, Hussein Mohammed, as the Director of Communications in his campaigns secretariat.
The ex-Citizen TV journalist joins a team of professionals tasked with running and managing DP Ruto's communication during his campaigns in the days leading to the August 9 poll.
Kenyans.co.ke takes a look at some of these professionals.
Dennis Itumbi
Dennis Itumbi is a public communications and digital strategist. Before joining the Ruto brigade, Itumbi was a member of the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU).
He served as the Director of Innovation, Digital and Diaspora Communication in the Office of the President before his termination on March 18, 2020.
Itumbi gained prominence for his role in the Uhuruto campaign team in the 2013 and 2017 General Elections. The digital strategist is known for being vocal and straightforward in his approach.
He holds a diploma in Journalism from KIMC.
Emmanuel Talam
Emmanuel Talam is the Director of Communication in the Office of the DP.
A holder of a Bachelors Degree in Media Studies from the University of Nairobi and a post-graduate diploma from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), Talam is a journalist by training.
He had a lucrative career at KTN, where he scaled the ladder to become the stations Deputy Managing Editor before he was poached by Ruto.
Talam also worked for the China Central Television (CCTV) as its planning and assignment editor.
Hussein Mohammed
The latest addition to Ruto's team, Hussein Mohammed, needs no introduction. At the time of his appointment, he worked as a communications consultant with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Mohammed established himself as a top-tier journalist in the country while at Citizen TV. He hosted The Big Question, where he interviewed high-profile politicians including President Uhuru Kenyatta, the DP and Raila Odinga.
Known for his interviewing style and keeping his guests on their toes, his exit from the station was frowned upon by many including the Former Premier.
"He struck me as someone who did his homework and knew answers to the questions he asked," Odinga previously wrote.
Wanjohi Githae
Wanjohi Githae was appointed as the Head of Communications at (UDA) on April 30, 2021.
He served as a reporter and editor at the Nation Media Group before landing the new job. Githae also had a brief stint as a reporter at MediaMax before he was laid-off during a restructuring process.
Githae is a journalist by profession who boasts of a career spanning 15 years. Often, he describes himself as a “keen observer of tides in affairs of men”.
“Mr Githae brings a wealth of experience in communication and media relations…His wide networks in the media will assist in nurturing a good relationship with the newsrooms," read the announcement by UDA.
Eliud Owalo
Eliud Owalo is the UDA Deputy Secretary-General in charge of strategy. He was poached from the Amani National Congress, where he was the head of Strategy.
Owalo is a managing consultant and strategic planning specialist. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Economics from the Kenyatta University and a Masters degree from University of Nairobi.
Currently, he is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Strategic Management at University of Nairobi.
The UDA secretariat member has consulted with both the public and private sectors. He has designed plans including African Union (AU's) Agenda 63, Vision 2030, the Big Four Agenda and the East African Corporation (EAC) Vision 2050.
