Hacker. Government Blogger. Twitter bigwig. Digital spokesman. Online antagonist. Controversial blogger. Sycophant. Wheeler-dealer. Spin doctor. Mentor. TNA activist.
These were the many names used to refer to Dennis Njue Itumbi,some unsavory and some flattering. Itumbi was born and brought up in Embu – Or at least,brought up largely in Embu,a sleepy,dusty town some 120 kilometers northeast of Nairobi. A town renown for political surprises,rich greenery,industriousness and a calm,amiable people who have existed for decades in bountiful peace.
But unlike his people,Itumbi was far from a bland individual – He was tenacious,tumultuous,combative,daring,very creative,shrewd,brilliant and a serial go-getter.
The son of a feared High School Principal,Itumbi rode through the dusty maze of a turbulent high school stint to become one of Kenya’s most bankable school playwrights and thespians before moving into blogging and later,Government wheeler dealing.
Few knew Itumbi until March 2012 when he was dramatically arrested by Flying Squad officers and detained in the coolers for a straight four days,with his disgraceful ordeal captured on camera and sensationally played to the Country on every News Bulletin.
Back then,Itumbi was but a mere blogger with an eponymous blog that boasted a tagline that went ; Facts,First and Fast.
He was a astute blogger. And a very adept creative writer and spinner of facts.
Immediately after his ignominious arrest and unconditional release,arrested for alleged hacking of the ICC website and tampering with Witness information,the young man’s star started to rise – stratospherically.
He quickly became of the Country’s most eligible bachelors and had the whole female species of Television throwing themselves at his golden feet.
His online presence became bolder. And his Facebook followers multiplied overnight. Within months,the dashing son of Embu was now commanding thousands of followers who waited,in bated breath,for his daily updates,musings and idle rants.
He quickly became the Kikuyu Nation’s answer to yet another abrasive and notorious blogger – Robert Alai.
Where Alai failed,Itumbi excelled spectacularly.
And then the battle for online supremacy between the two was born.
To boost his emerging notoriety,Itumbi would sue Robert Alai accusing him of falsely criminalizing him over the ICC saga.
The story made news- Big news that would make it even to the NTV version of The Trend we had back then hosted by the witty James Smart.
Itumbi’s online notoriety had just but started. There was more where that came from and Itumbi was never afraid of a nasty Twitter combat with any of Raila Odinga’s belligerent foot soldiers starting with the pugnacious Robert Alai.
Every attack that Alai leveled against the Government – Or Uhuru Kenyatta – was thwarted by a very clever Itumbi who,like a little fox,never missed a chance to outwit the Opposition and drumbeat for the Government or Uhuru Kenyatta.
Dennis Itumbi proudly sandwiched between The First Couple
During his epic arrest,Kenyans were shocked to learn that this little boy from Gichugu lived in a massive bungalow in Thindigua, along Kiambu Road- One of the most expensive and coveted addresses in Nairobi.
And then rumors stated flying – rumors that claimed that the beautiful mansion that Itumbi was opulently living in was a gift to him from Uhuru Kenyatta because there was no way a blogger who relied on simple dividends from Goggle Adsense could ever afford to live in such a palatial home.
The rumors still abound.
And Uhuru Kenyatta’s generosity is still legendary.
Itumbi would work extra hard over the 2012/2013 electioneering period,warding off Robert Alai,painting a perfect picture for TNA presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and pretty much doing all the dirty and filthy work for Uhuru Kenyatta in a bid to see him secure the Presidency.
Every attack on Uhuru by either bloggers,Opposition Leaders or the harsh online community was met with a stiff resistance from Itumbi and a very concerted online fight that would go down all day.
Itumbi had laid his soul down for Mr. Kenyatta. And he did it with a passion and zeal that was unmistakable.
And after the man clinched the seat,it was now time for kickbacks. And Itumbi would the among the first to benefit.
How do we reward a young man who tirelessly and diligently fought for my turbulent Campaign and election as President? And a man I hope will be instrumental in my fight against the ICC charges? Mr. Kenyatta must have wondered.
By creating an ambiguous communication entity attached to the State House in which I would throw in Dennis Itumbi and map out a rather silly name for his job description.
Boom.
And just like that, Itumbi was appointed as the Director of Digital Communication in the Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya. Or simply put,Blah Blah Blah.
No one understood what Itumbi’s job really meant. Or what exactly was he really meant to do in office all day. It was one of the most laughable and delirious jobs ever created. But a brother had to be rewarded.
With much gusto and zeal,Itumbi took up his role. He immediately got down to business – working closely with Thomas Kwaka,or Big Ted,yet another fellow with a job description that was profoundly suspicious.
That was 2013. And all seemed smooth.
He kept barking at the Opposition. Mocking Raila Odinga. Flipping the bird at Kalonzo Musyoka and demonizing the whole Opposition at any given chance.
Dutifully,the man appeared on pretty much all TV talk shows to sing endless praises of his employer and to engage in a dusty showdown with his detractors and the enemies of the Government.
Beautiful photos of him snuggling close to The President would then be shared across the Internet for all to see and gawk at-and Facebook couldn’t cope.
In no time,he even became a full State House factotum,doing pretty much anything and everything for The Big Man.
He became Uhuru Kenyatta’s most loyal adherents,fervently carrying out the diktats of the man to the letter – abrasively fighting for him,defending his Government like a dazed military junior and yelling at the Opposition at all times.
He became a Government sweetheart loved and loathed in equal measure.
And then he became boring. And out of touch. And lame.
He started sounding like a broken record. And looking like JJ Kamotho back in the dark KANU Era.
What looks like a proud father-son moment
His once flowery Facebook page was reduced to a boring Pro-Government monologue littered with humdrum photos of The President and His Deputy crisscrossing the Country on whatever activity they were up to that day -although he tried to liven things up by introducing a now-redundant segment titled Pastor’s Moment on his timeline.
Still,Dennis Itumbi,the fiery genius,was gone.
He became a out of touch praise-singer flagrantly defending a Government he pictured perfect and blameless.
Twitter was tired of him. So was Facebook. And then,it was only a matter of time.
In a bid to please his masters,Itumbi stopped at nothing to represent – or misrepresent – the Government.
He issued many official statements. Many. Some his own. Others,from the Government.
He became a whole ball of confusion – even to his own employer.
The allure started fading away. The man started saying too much. Divulging too much. Talking too much. Misrepresenting his employer too much.
Lately,he became too out of step with The King. He waded into too many waters,got into too many fights,held too many opinions and issued too many uncoordinated statements.
It was time to tame the boy. Time to allow the kid to cool down first. And fast.
And now,as we speak,the King’s staunchest defender is JOBLESS.
Long Live The King.
Phew.
