In an interview last night Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Coordination, laid bare explosive details about his strained relationship with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. In a candid interview, Itumbi painted a picture of a leader whose public bravado conceals deep-seated insecurities—an analysis that could reshape perceptions of Mt. Kenya’s shifting political landscape.
According to Itumbi, Gachagua thrives on the optics of strength, often projecting himself as a lion when holding a microphone before the masses. Yet behind closed doors, Itumbi says, he is “a timid cat,” weighed down by the constant need for affirmation. The revelations included a startling account of a near-physical confrontation in which Gachagua allegedly grabbed Itumbi by the shirt at Eldoret State Lodge after he refused to post on Facebook declaring him the undisputed Mt. Kenya kingpin. “He wanted me to write that he was the region’s kingpin. I declined, and that almost escalated into a fight,” Itumbi recalled.
The accusations go beyond personal spats. Itumbi suggests Gachagua’s frequent jabs at him and presidential ally Farouk Kibet were less about strategy and more about low self-esteem. He alleges that during Cabinet meetings, Gachagua would obsessively scan newspapers, Facebook reactions, and WhatsApp groups—behavior that, in his view, reflected insecurity rather than genuine attentiveness to public sentiment. “That was not listening to the people; it was insecurity,” Itumbi said.
These claims add fuel to an already volatile debate over leadership in Mt. Kenya, where political succession remains fiercely contested. By portraying Gachagua as overly reliant on public validation, Itumbi has not only exposed the fragile man behind the excessive bravado, it seems Mount Kenya politics is no longer just about numbers—it is now about image, perception, and the vulnerabilities hidden behind the podium.
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