Ruto’s aide dismisses claims of meeting with top security officials over recruitment

President William Ruto with his aide Dennis Itumbi/FILE

President William Ruto’s aide and head of presidential special projects and creative economy, Dennis Itumbi, has dismissed reports by a local daily claiming a meeting between the head of state and top security officials in the country.

In a statement, Itumbi insisted that there was no such meeting in Mombasa as alleged, terming the report as fake news.

He went on to state that on the said day of the meeting, Ruto was not in Mombasa as claimed.

The daily alleged that the meeting was to resolve the stalemate that has delayed the recruitment of 10,000 police officers.

The president had also directed that 4,000 recruits must come from the National Youth Service (NYS).

Itumbi questioned how the daily could not verify facts before publishing their report adding that they must stop the lies.

“Wacheni uwongo, fabrications and fake news. The President was not in Mombasa on Friday; some facts are so easy to verify! How does a newsroom so confidently lie? Facts, we were taught in journalism school are sacred. Lakini Tumezoea, hii uwongo,” he said.

President William Ruto was in Mombasa county on Thursday where he officially opened the 2025 Mombasa A.S.K. International Show.

A recent parliamentary report disclosed that the plan by the National Police Service to recruit the 10,000 new constables was handing in the balance following a budget cut of Sh320 million.

It also comes at a time when the National Police Service Commission and the National Police Service have set aside their differences, pledging to work together for the benefit of Kenyans.

This followed weeks of push and pull over the mandate of the two entities, especially regarding the police officers' payroll.

Speaking after a meeting that lasted more than five hours in Mombasa, NPSC chairman Amani Komora and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja committed to working together and resolving any disputes amicably should they arise.

“We have agreed to chart out a new chapter in terms of how we relate, with more collegiality and with more respect to the different mandates that are bestowed on us as constitutional offices,” Komora said.