President William Ruto has removed Irungu Nyakera from his position as Chairperson of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and appointed Samuel Waweru Mwangi in his place.
The announcement was made through a gazette notice published on Tuesday, April 1, in which Ruto confirmed Waweru’s appointment for a three-year term.
“By the powers granted under Section 43 (1) (a) of the Tourism Act, in conjunction with Section 51 (1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Samuel Waweru Mwangi as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) for a period of three (3) years, effective from April 1, 2025. The appointment of Irungu Nyakera is hereby revoked,” the notice read.
Nyakera’s Sarcastic Reaction to His Dismissal
Shortly after the notice was published, Nyakera took to his social media, reacting sarcastically to his removal.
“I feel special to be fired through a special issue; they could not wait for Friday,” he wrote.
His removal has sparked speculation, as it comes just days after he skipped President Ruto’s tour of the Mt Kenya region.
Nyakera Missed Ruto’s Tour, Citing School Commitments
On Sunday, March 30, Nyakera announced that he would not be available for the President’s visit to Mt Kenya, explaining that he was occupied with his studies at Oxford University.
“I will not be present during the President’s upcoming visit to Mt Kenya as I am still in school at Oxford University. That said, I want to share my message with the people and leaders of Mt Kenya,” Nyakera stated.
In his statement, he emphasized the need for the region to focus on development, aligning with recent calls from allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who have been advocating for the completion of stalled projects in Mt Kenya.
“In the last election, Mt Kenya voted for development, and development, as we all know, comes through the Office of the President. When he visits next week, let our focus be on that development, not on politics,” he stated.
Nyakera’s Political and Government Roles
Nyakera has held several senior government positions. He previously served as Principal Secretary (PS) in the Transport Ministry, followed by a tenure in the Ministry of Devolution and Planning, where he oversaw matters related to Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
On May 15, 2023, Ruto appointed him as the Chairperson of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) before later moving him to KICC.
Aside from his government roles, Nyakera is also active in politics. In February 2023, he was unanimously elected as the party leader of the Farmers Party of Kenya.
His removal from KICC has raised questions about whether it was politically motivated, especially given recent political realignments following the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Ruto’s new political understanding with ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Nyakera’s dismissal adds to the growing tensions within Mt Kenya’s political landscape, as some leaders realign themselves with different factions in the evolving political scene.
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