ICT and Digital Economy CS nominee William Kabogo when he appeared before the vetting committee on January 14, 2025/ENOS TECHEICT and Digital Economy CS nominee William Kabogo has said that he had nothing to do with the death of university student Mercy Keino.
While appearing before the vetting committee on Tuesday, Kabogo said Keino’s death came to him after she was buried.
Various allegations were implicated on the CS nominee after Keino’s death on June 17, 2021.
An inquest was set up to determine the cause of death of a university student and cleared Kabogo and five others who had been implicated in the 2011 death.
Kabogo, however, said that his implication on the case was an issue of the wrong place at the wrong time.
“The issue of 2011, of Mercy Keino, the honorable member, has said it is alleged that I had invited people to a party. This is not true; it is a situation where you find yourself at a place at the wrong time. It was a public place; a restaurant with several groups of people,” he said.
“The issue of the death of Mercy Keino came to me after she had been buried. Even if I had met her the following day, I would not have known her. It is a sad story but I sincerely and truly had nothing to do with it.”
Kabogo had appeared before the Committee on Appointments of the National Assembly chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula for approval hearings.
The former Kiambu county boss will take over—if MPs approve his nomination—from Margaret Nyambura, who was dropped by changes announced by President William Ruto four months after unveiling the broad-based government.
“Grateful to the President for the trust and honour of nominating me as Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and Digital Economy. Thank you, Mr President and the people of Kenya, for this opportunity,” Kabogo said following his nomination.
The former governor is among the three CS nominees vetted before MPs.
Others are Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture and Livestock Development) and Lee Kinyanjui (Trade and investment).