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On Thursday, the National Assembly gave the green light for the deployment of former Cabinet Secretaries Ababu Namwamba and Andrew Karanja, along with ex-Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow, to key diplomatic roles.
Namwamba, who served as the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, was tapped to represent Kenya as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi. His extensive experience in public service is expected to bring valuable leadership to Kenya’s environmental diplomacy.
Dr. Andrew Karanja, a former Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, was nominated as Kenya’s Ambassador to Brazil. His appointment comes at a time when Kenya is looking to bolster its agricultural ties with the South American country, which is a major global player in the industry.
The third nominee, Noor Gabow, a former police deputy chief, was nominated as Consul-General to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Gabow’s deep experience in law enforcement and public service is seen as an asset to enhancing Kenya’s diplomatic presence in the Caribbean region.
The vetting process, conducted by the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations, concluded with the committee endorsing the appointments. The approval was based on the candidates’ qualifications and the legal frameworks outlined in Kenya’s Constitution, the Foreign Services Act, and the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act. Following the confirmation, the three diplomats are now awaiting swearing-in by the President before formally assuming their roles.
However, the proceedings were marred by controversy surrounding the withdrawal of another high-profile nominee, Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u. Ndung’u, who had been nominated as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Ghana, abruptly withdrew her candidacy, citing personal family matters. The withdrawal raised questions, as Ndung’u failed to attend her vetting session, which led to the Committee chair, Nelson Koech, expressing his dissatisfaction. The Ghana posting had already been rejected once earlier in 2024 by former MP Victor Mogaka Kemosi.
Koech used the occasion to criticize the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Head of Public Service for what he described as a failure to conduct thorough vetting of candidates for diplomatic posts. According to Koech, the withdrawals reflect poorly on the country’s diplomatic standing and cast doubts on the thoroughness of the nomination process. He urged that moving forward, careful scrutiny be applied before names are presented to Parliament for approval, stressing that failing to do so not only embarrasses the individuals involved but also tarnished the reputation of President Ruto’s administration and Kenya as a whole.
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