Only 10 survive in Ruto purge of Uhuru-era envoys

Only 10 of the 66 ambassadors and high commissioners appointed during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure have survived the shakeup of diplomatic corps by the current administration, an analysis shows.

In July last year, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua hinted that major changes would occur in Kenya’s foreign missions.

“We will soon summon our ambassadors, high commissioners and their deputies to Nairobi and those who are reappointed to head missions abroad will have to sign performance contracts to market our products abroad. If they fail, we will recall them and appoint more competent ones,” said DP Gachagua during a meeting with Kenyans in Rome at the time.

President William Ruto had not made any major changes to the missions by then apart from recalling Professor Judi Wakhungu from France after her term ended. He would also recall Ms Mary Muthoni from China and Mr Clement Nzomo from Angola, both of whom had been appointed during Mr Kenyatta’s final year in office.

By last week, however, just 10 envoys from the Kenyatta-era have survived the purge.

They include Mr Galma Boru who has served as ambassador to Indonesia since 2022 — Kenya’s first head of mission there. Prior to his appointment, he was Kenya’s ambassador to Qatar until 2018, as well as a senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in other roles in stations in the UK, United States and Zambia.

The other survivor is Kenya’s ambassador to Brazil Lemarron Kaanto. He has served since 2020 and has previously worked in South Africa as Deputy High Commissioner. 

In Kuwait, the station is still headed by Ms Halima Mohamud, Mr Leonard Boiyo still retains his post in Ankara, Turkey, Prof Bitange Ndemo, also a Kenyatta appointee, is still serving Kenya’s ambassador in Belgium and the European Union. He was posted there in 2022 to replace Prof Jacob Kaimenyi.

Mr Lindsay Kiptiness Kimwole has been retained as the ambassador in Bangkok, Thailand, while in Namibia, former Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai remains as the High Commissioner. 

In Burundi, Mr Daniel Wambura will continue with his duties as the ambassador. Mr Wambura who was appointed in 2020, previously served in the Electoral Commission of Kenya during the 2007 General Election. He replaced Ken Vitisia.

Ms Stella Munyi will remain in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she has been since her appointment to the role in 2020. She has previously served as Assisting Counsel to the Tribunal that investigated the conduct of Supreme Court Judge Prof Jackton Ojwang. Kenya’s High Commissioner to Tanzania Isaac Njenga was also spared.

Mr Njenga was among the envoys appointed just before Mr Kenyatta left office in 2022. He has also previously served in Namibia as High Commissioner between 2014 and 2018. He replaced Dan Kazungu. When Dr Ruto made his first major changes in October 2023, he appointed 28 new envoys and made two reshuffles.

Some of those who were replaced include Ms Mwende Mwinzi whose tour of duty ended last year. Her appointment had been controversial after MPs put a caveat on her deployment: they wanted her to renounce her US nationality.

By then, however, no law specifically barred dual nationals from heading missions as they are not listed among State officers. However, in 2022, Parliament passed a Foreign Service Act that now specifically bars dual nationals from heading diplomatic missions. Ms Mwinzi was replaced by Prof Emmy Jerono Kipsoi, an academic.

Ms Stella Orina who had previously served in a different capacity in New York was appointed to replace Mr Tom Amolo in Berlin, Germany. Mr John Ekitela was sent to Malaysia to take over from former Directorate of Criminal Investigations head Mr Ndegwa Muhoro.

Another change was that of Mr John Tipis, who was replaced by Mr Wilson Kogo in Canberra, Australia. Ms Jane Wairimu took over from Ms Catherine Mwangi in South Africa while Mr Jeremy Ndola replaced Major General (retired) Samuel Nandwa in South Sudan.

Ms Betty Cherwon, a seasoned diplomat who has served in Berlin, Cairo and London was posted to Paris to fill the gap left after Prof Wakhungu’s tenure ended. Mr Peter Ngure, who was serving as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at St Paul’s University, was posted to Paris as the Permanent Representative of Kenya to Unesco.

He took over from Mr Richard Bosire. Other appointments made at the time include those of Fredrick Lusambili (Italy), Angelina Kavindu (Sweden), Maurice Makoloo (Austria), Nairimas Sharon Ole Sein (Spain), Mohamed Nur Adan (Qatar), Mohamed Ramadhan Ruwange (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), George Macgoye (Djibouti), Lt Gen Albert Kendagor (Israel), Philip Githiora (Mozambique), Isaac Keen Parashina (Nigeria), Joyce Khasimwa M'maitsi (Angola), Shem Amadi (Democratic Republic of Congo), Kiringo Kubai (Somalia), Sibdio Dido (Botswana), Janet Oben(Rwanda) and Jeremy Laibuttah (Sudan). 

The Consul-General in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Mr Benson Mwaliko, was also replaced by Mr Abdi Weli Muhamad Hussein. The two who were reshuffled are Mr Willy Bett who was moved from New Delhi to fill the vacancy left by Ms Mary Muthoni in March 2023, while Mr Tabu Irina was moved from Tokyo, Japan to Dublin, Ireland to replace Mr Michael Mubea.

President Ruto’s recent nominations on March 8 also saw the removal of more Uhuru appointees. Maj-Gen (Rtd) George Owino will be replaced by Joash Arthur Maangi in Kampala.

Mr Maangi had been appointed Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) before a court nullified the positions. Lilian Tomitom, who had also been picked as a CAS, has been nominated to replace Flora Karugu as High Commissioner in Zambia while Halima Yussuf Mucheke is to take over from Margaret Shava in the Netherlands.

Peter Mutuku Mathuki, the besieged East African Community Secretary-General was posted to Russia to take over from Benson Ogutu. The newly opened embassies and consulates in Bern (Switzerland), Rabat (Morocco), Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) were also assigned new envoys in the recent appointments.