Kenyan envoy to United Kingdom Manoah Esipisu endured torrid times as State House spokesman after being held captive by a team President Uhuru Kenyatta trusted, reports Owaahh.com.
Handpicked from ADB by Uhuru in 2013, Manoah struggled to stamp authority on a team that had worked with the president since 2010.
Bearing titles of directors in PSCU, ambitious Dennis Itumbi, Munyori Buku, Erick Ng'eno and James Kinyua, waged a spirited fight to reclaim a post which they thought was a birthright for one of them; Mr. Buku, who worked with Uhuru at the treasury.
To execute the ouster plan, reports the writer, the team defied instructions given by the boss, Esipisu, insisting that they could only take directives from their friend and President Uhuru Kenyatta.
And on June 29th 2016, a furious president summoned the four along with Munira Mohammed and Big Ted where he read riot act over disrespect.
“You will do what Manoah says. You will send him weekly plans of what you are doing, and weekly reviews of what you’ve done!” roared Uhuru, adding that they were banned from appearing for press conference unless authorized by Esipisu.
Uhuru added: "I hired Manoah for a reason. You either work with him or chicken out."
Pushed to the corner, the team retreated and changed tact in the fight against Esipisu. They were still convinced that he was not the right option.
Among the tactics deployed were deleting all presidential posts made by Esipisu in all social media forums for Presidency which they had exclusive control over.
As if that was not enough, reports indicate, the team led by Itumbi seized control over official website further reducing Esipisu to a 'pedestrian head of PSCU'.
Feeling threatened however, Esipisu would expeditiously gain access to the website after seeking help from ICT ministry.
To further frustrate him, the team also leaked crucial documents from Presidency with an aim of creating animosity between their boss and the president.
On August 2018, curtains fell down for the team after they were permanently blocked from gaining access to State House as the president geared towards fixing the 'mess' created by his men.
But Esipisu, who by now had tasted a lot, would be deployed to London by the President and subsequently replaced by Kanze Dena.
For Itumbi and the team, now betrayed by their former friend, Uhuru Kenyatta, are languishing at DP William Ruto's Harambee House Annex where they are struggling to reclaim their lost glory.