National Assembly approves list of new diplomats

President Uhuru Kenyatta is set to appoint 21 individuals as high commissioners and ambassadors to Kenya’s missions abroad after the National Assembly approved their nomination.

In a report tabled in the National Assembly on Wednesday, the Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee recommended that the House approves their nomination, a request that was consented to by the House sitting in plenary after Speaker Justin Muturi put the matter to a vote.

“Having considered the suitability, capacity and integrity of the nominees, the committee recommends that the National Assembly approves the nomination and subsequent appointment by the President,” the committee stated in its report

In it's report to the House, the committee noted that the nominees demonstrated their experience in accordance with the requirements stipulated in law and that none of them had been charged in court or mentioned adversely in a parliamentary committee report or commission of inquiry in the last three years.

“All the nominees satisfy the requirements of the constitution in that they do not intend to participate in any other gainful employment,” the committee’s report reads.

The House team also established that none of the nominees has been ousted from office on the question of conflict of interest under the Leadership and Integrity Act.

Among those approved for nominations include  outgoing Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai (Namibia), former ICT Principal Secretary Bitange Ndemo (Belgium) ,Ms Mary Mugwanja ( Vienna, Austria)Ms Muthoni Gichohi (Beijing, China), Mr Gathoga Chege (Cuba), Mr Salim Salim (Djibouti) and Maj-Gen A.G. Matiiri (Egypt).

The others are Clement Kiteme (Angola), Mr Galma Boru (Indonesia), Mr Paul Ndung’u (Mozambique), Maj-Gen Andrew Ikenye (Nigeria), Ms Margaret Shava (Netherlands), Ms Amina Abdalla (Oman), Ms Nyambura Kamau (Pakistan), Mr Boniface Mwilu (Qatar) and Mr Michael Oyugi (Spain).

Also set to be appointed are Maj-Gen (Rtd) Thomas Chepkuto (Somalia), Mr Leonard Boiyo (Turkey), and Maj-Gen (Rtd) George Owinow (Uganda).

Maj-Gen (Rtd) Charles Gituai and Prof Richard Bosire are set to be appointed as Kenya’s permanent representatives to IGAD and UNESCO respectively.