 |
| Photo Collage/Dennis Itumbi & Muthoni wakirumba |
The burial was held in Gatundu South following the tragic death of Kinyita's child, who passed away last Sunday under circumstances that have not yet been made clear. Family members, friends, political leaders, religious leaders, and residents gathered to comfort the bereaved family during one of the most difficult moments of their lives. While many speakers focused on offering condolences and prayers, Dennis Itumbi also used the opportunity to address what he described as the growing culture of political intolerance in Kenya.
In his speech, Itumbi openly defended his friendship with media personality Muthoni wa Kirumba, saying that political disagreements should never determine who people choose as friends or enemies. He said that politics is increasingly making people lose common sense by expecting everyone to cut ties with those who hold different political opinions. According to him, such thinking is dangerous because it replaces humanity with political loyalty.
Itumbi made it clear that he has no apologies for maintaining his friendship with Muthoni wa Kirumba. He acknowledged that Muthoni has, on several occasions, criticized President William Ruto, a leader whom he strongly supports. However, he insisted that criticizing the President does not automatically make Muthoni his enemy or an enemy of President Ruto. He urged Kenyans to separate political competition from personal relationships and respect the right of every individual to hold different opinions.
The presidential aide emphasized that political battles should remain about ideas and policies instead of becoming personal attacks. He argued that every Kenyan has the freedom to support different leaders without losing friendships that have been built over many years. According to Itumbi, political alliances change with time, but genuine friendships and acts of kindness should remain valuable regardless of changing political seasons.
To explain why he values his friendship with Muthoni, Itumbi shared a deeply personal experience from 2021 when he was allegedly kidnapped and seriously injured. He recalled that during that difficult period, Muthoni stood by him when many others did not. He said she sent him money to assist with his recovery, visited him in hospital, prayed with him, and later visited him at his home. Because of those acts of kindness, Itumbi questioned how anyone could expect him to suddenly consider her an enemy simply because of political differences.
His emotional account received attention from many mourners, with some applauding the message that humanity should always come before politics. The remarks highlighted the importance of standing with people during difficult moments regardless of political affiliation.
Itumbi further warned against allowing political supporters to dictate personal relationships. He said no one has the right to choose his friends or determine who he should associate with. He explained that politicians and public figures must begin thinking beyond current political arrangements because Kenya's political landscape is constantly changing. According to him, future cooperation will require leaders from different political backgrounds to work together for the good of the country.
He added that making unnecessary enemies today could make it difficult to build unity tomorrow. Instead of attacking individuals, he encouraged Kenyans to challenge ideas through respectful debate. In his view, democracy becomes stronger when people criticize policies rather than engaging in personal hatred.
As part of his remarks, Itumbi referred to debates surrounding the government's Affordable Housing Programme. He noted that Muthoni has questioned whether ordinary Kenyans truly want the houses being built under the programme. Rather than attacking her personally for those views,
