The fate of the Director for Digital, New Media and Diaspora Affairs at State House hangs in the balance following a confidential intelligence report that questions his academic credentials and suitability to serve in a sensitive government office.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS)
report seen by Sunday Nation alleges
that Mr Dennis Itumbi is among 50
students from Kenya Institute of Mass
Communication (KIMC) in Nairobi whose qualifications are open to questions.
According to the NIS security vetting
brief, Mr Itumbi allegedly led student
unrest at the institution and used this
as leverage to force the then management of the college led by Mr
Eliud Sang to “award him and his class (of 50) Diplomas in Broadcast Journalism while they were enrolled to
do a certificate course in the same”. “In 2001, he joined Kenya Institute of
Mass Communication as a parallel
student to pursue a certificate course in journalism.
He, however, was awarded
a Diploma in Broadcast journalism in
unclear circumstances,” says the brief. Mr Itumbi, who commands huge social
media following and actively campaigned for the Jubilee coalition in
the last elections, is among top advisers in the Presidential Strategic
Communications Unit led by Mr Manoah Esipisu.
Mr Itumbi’s confirmation to hold the
position of “director” is also still
pending at the Public Service
Commission (PSC). It is unclear whether this has anything to do with education qualifications as directors are expected to hold advanced degrees.
The NIS report has also attached Mr
Itumbi’s PSC application for
employment form. The document
shows that apart from KIMC, he has only attended short courses at various
institutions without indications of a bachelor’s degree.
The NIS report was circulated to PSC
among other concerned institutions. The report alleges Mr Itumbi is a “self-
motivated go getter who uses any
means at his disposal . . . to get his
way”.
The critical report also alleges that Mr
Itumbi may have in the past been
involved in leakage of classified
documents through his Facebook page, Twitter handle, his blog and local media houses.
Adapted From Sunday Nation
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