The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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William Kabogo, the Cabinet Secretary nominee for Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy, has addressed perceptions that he is arrogant and stubborn.
During his appearance before the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments on Tuesday afternoon, the former Kiambu governor explained that his serious demeanor and firm stance on policy matters may contribute to these misconceptions.
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed questioned how Kabogo would handle the humility required for the role, given his reputation for being tough-headed and high-handed.
Responding humorously, Kabogo said, “Mr. Speaker, I have a very serious face just like yours,” causing laughter among the committee members, including Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
He continued, “That may sometimes be misunderstood, but I’m straightforward and direct. I speak plainly, and this sometimes leads people to question whether I’m doing the right thing or doing things in the right way.”
Kabogo emphasized, “I believe in doing things correctly. I have a strong personality when it comes to bringing order, and that’s why I was able to bring order to Kiambu, which is a challenging county.”
Speaker Wetang’ula asked why Kabogo was not re-elected after one term as governor of Kiambu from 2013 to 2017. Kabogo replied, “Mr. Speaker, that’s a long conversation, and you know how elections work.”
Junet asked whether Kabogo uses his stern appearance to intimidate people, to which Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, jokingly interjected, suggesting that straightforwardness is just a characteristic of people from Kiambu, not a sign of arrogance.
Ichung’wah clarified that he was not defending Kabogo’s perceived arrogance but pointed out that people from Kiambu are often misunderstood as being arrogant for their bluntness.
Kabogo’s nomination to the ICT docket followed the vacancy created by the departure of former CS Margaret Ndung’u, who was appointed as Kenya’s Ambassador to Ghana but declined the position for personal reasons. Kabogo was nominated alongside former Health CS Mutahi Kagwe (for Agriculture) and former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui (for Investments, Trade, and Industry).
