A fresh dispute has emerged between the government and the media after The Standard published a front-page story alleging that Deputy President Kithure Kindiki had been stripped of key intergovernmental powers.
Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Dennis Itumbi has strongly rejected the claims, terming the report “fake news” and accusing the newspaper of misrepresenting Kenya’s governance structure.
In his response, Itumbi defended Kindiki, insisting the publication’s assertions were “absolutely inaccurate.”
“Kenya’s intergovernmental relations are not handled by one office or one individual,” Itumbi said. “They are governed through four distinct institutions, each with a clearly defined mandate.”
He pointed to the National and County Government Coordinating Summit as the apex organ, chaired by President William Ruto and bringing together all 47 governors.
According to Itumbi, the Summit provides strategic leadership and fosters cooperation between national and county governments.
The presidential aide also highlighted the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), chaired by the Deputy President, as the principal forum for consultation on fiscal and economic matters.
He noted that IBEC oversees revenue sharing, budget coordination, and broader economic policy discussions between the two levels of government—an indication, he argued, that Kindiki retains a central role.
On implementation, Itumbi cited the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) as the body responsible for executing decisions made at the Summit, facilitating coordination and resolving disputes.
He clarified that while the Prime Cabinet Secretary engages Parliament on intergovernmental matters, this does not amount to taking over the entire framework.
He further referenced the Council of Governors (CoG) as an independent institution representing county governments, working alongside other organs to advance cooperative governance.
Itumbi criticised the newspaper’s framing of the story, describing it as misleading and politically driven.
He went on to link the publication to political interests, referring to it as “Hon. Gideon Moi’s X account,” in remarks that signal growing friction between sections of the media and the State.
“Facts do not change because we can write misleading headlines,” he said, maintaining that constitutional roles within the intergovernmental system remain intact.