Economy

Gender team says Uhuru’s envoys list fails equality test

uk

President Uhuru Kenyatta during a past press conference in Nairobi. Appointments of envoys did not meet the two-thirds gender threshold. PHOTO | FILE

President Uhuru Kenyatta faces a new hurdle of having his recent nominees for ambassadorial posts cleared by Parliament following criticism over lack of gender balance and diversity.

Ms Winnie Lichuma, the National Gender and Equality Commission chair, noted that the appointment of 20 ambassadors and deputy envoys did not meet the two-thirds gender threshold and lacked representation of youths and persons with disability.

“Unfortunately, the appointments yet again go against the gender equality and inclusion principals as envisaged in the Constitution and point to a disturbing trend where the State appears to pay lip service to the rule of law and fidelity to the Constitution,” said Ms Lichuma in a statement.

Key positions

She urged Mr Kenyatta to show support for the youth, women and persons with disability by appointing them to key positions. Of the 20 appointments made on Friday, only five were women. Sophie Kadzo Kombe was appointed ambassador to Zambia and Lucy Chelimo envoy to Canada.

Other women appointed were Rukia Sugow as ambassador to Iran, Jean Kamau was transferred to Thailand, while the Immigration department’s Jane Waikeinda was appointed deputy ambassador to South Africa.

Mr Kenyatta appointed his political allies, bringing back former Finance minister Robinson Githae to be ambassador to the US.

Lazarus Amayo was appointed ambassador to Britain, while former Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere was posted to Dar es Salaam.

Former Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo, a close associate of Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, was appointed envoy to Turkey while former Moyale MP Mohamud Mohammed was posted to head the Kenyan mission in Saudi Arabia.

Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala’s long time ally Sheikh Mohamed Dor was appointed ambassador to Oman.

Richard Opembe was posted to Ireland, Dr George Masafu to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Prof Julius Bitok to Khartoum and Joseph Magut to Berlin, Germany. Retired Major-General Jeoff Otieno was appointed ambassador to Egypt, Galma Boru to Qatar, Isaac Njenga to Namibia and Dr Karau to Geneva to Switzerland.

Prof George Godia was appointed the country’s representative to UNESCO while Prof Sam Ongeri became Kenya’s representative to UN Habitat.

The appointments also included transfers of envoys to new stations where Mohamed Gello was posted to South Korea, John Lanasunya to Algiers, Ali Abbas to Kuwait, SK Maina to Japan, Richard Lemorashira to Zimbabwe and Joseph Maikara to Luanda, Angola.

Bellianda Achieng Omino was appointed deputy ambassador to India and Aggrey Shitsama to a station to be announced later.