Raila Faults Dennis Itumbi’s Appointment to the Office of The President

Barely a month after his appointment as the Director Digital, New Media and Diaspora in the Executive Office of The President (EOP), journalist and blogger Dennis Itumbi is already coming under from unlikely quarters.

The Sunday Nation reported that the ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga faulted Itumbi’s appointment to the office terming the appointment as “a clear indication that the government was not treating the diaspora with the seriousness it deserved.”

Speaking to The Nation in Irving, Texas, where he’s attending the Bi-National Governors Summit, Mr. Odinga added that the government should have appointed someone who had been in the diaspora and understood the needs of Kenyans abroad.

“The Kind of character who has been appointed by the Government, I don’t think has the kind of connection and capacity to bring in the Diaspora together…” uttered Mr. Odinga.

Mr. Odinga added that the Jubilee administration is not serious about the Diaspora in its first 100 days in office, saying that it has not shown any commitment to involve the Diaspora in matters related to nation building.

Itumbi has since responded saying,

“Well I will record a response, but the Former PM should be aware of two key issues, he had an office in his PM’s office, where he took a Diaspora person to take charge am not sure about its effect, two My Office falls under Manoah Esipisu who has been appointed and brought back from the Diaspora, so if the issue is living in the Diaspora then that matter is sorted, the rest is strategy and Bwana Former PM, ‘this character’ and his team will show you what can be done to transform relations, involve Kenyans living abroad in Gvt. Policy, Champion for employment of Kenyans abroad as we create jobs for those in Kenya and ease the processes for investment and renewing of documents by creating a working One stop shop and many other interventions….”