Former Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) board chairperson Irungu Nyakera has reacted to his dismissal from the position just months after his appointment.
Nyakera’s removal comes shortly after he announced that he would not be present during President William Ruto’s recent visit to the Mt Kenya region.
Nyakera took to his X account on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, to share the Gazette notice that announced his sacking. He responded with sarcasm, noting that he felt special in the manner he was sent packing.
“I feel special to be fired through a special issue. They could not wait for Friday!”
Just to drive the point home, he even updated his X account bio to “former KICC Chairman.”
Sacked
In a Gazette notice dated April 1, 2025, President Ruto appointed Samuel Waweru Mwangi as the new chairperson of the KICC board for three years, effective immediately. The notice stated that the decision was made under the powers conferred by Section 43 (1) (a) of the Tourism Act, alongside Section 51 (1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act.
Nyakera, who was appointed to the position in August 2024, replaced former Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau. His tenure, however, was cut short following his absence during Ruto’s tour of the Mt Kenya region, a move that may have contributed to his dismissal.
Ruto’s tour
In a previous statement, Nyakera had declared that he would not attend the President’s visit due to his ongoing studies at Oxford University. He made it clear that his absence was not out of disrespect but rather a matter of priority.
“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 had said.
He urged the people of Mt. Kenya to avoid unnecessary political tensions and instead focus on fostering development during the President’s visit. He emphasized the importance of cooperation to ensure progress, drawing lessons from historical instances where political divisions hindered growth.
He referenced a past incident involving Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, where hostility during a Kisumu visit led to decades of stalled development in the region. Nyakera also recalled President Uhuru Kenyatta’s final term, where political wrangles within the Mt Kenya region reportedly led to missed development opportunities.
“History has taught us harsh lessons. When Mzee Jomo Kenyatta visited Kisumu with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and was received with hostility, development in that region came to a halt for decades. Similarly, in President Uhuru’s final term, Mt Kenya suffered because we allowed politics to override cooperation and watched development bypass us. Let us not repeat the same mistakes,” he warned.
Nyakera insisted that the focus should be on constructive engagement with the President to secure developmental benefits for the region, urging leaders and residents to prioritize their needs over political differences.