PSCU
Eight of the 27 persons nominated by the President to serve as Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Permanent Representatives of the Republic have been vetted by the Departmental Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations.
Four nominees yesterday defended their suitability for the job to their respective destinations before the Committee chaired by Nelson Koech (Belgut).
The four were Dr. Wilson Kogo (Canberra, Australia), Mr. John Ronald Ekitela (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Amb. Philip Mundia Githiora (Maputo, Mozambique) and Ms. Sabdio Dido Bashuna (Gaborone, Botswana).
Wilson Kogo, who previously served as Chesumei MP pledged that if confirmed as Kenya’s Ambasador to Canberra, he would ensure that Kenya taps into Australia’s vast opportunities as a global industrial powerhouse to boost local production and reduce over reliance on imports that have largely occasioned Kenya’s unfair balance of trade with most western powers.
Mr. Ekitela who is the current head of Chancery/Kenya’s Embassy in Washington DC since his appointment to the position in January 2020, said he would use his wealth of diplomatic experience and skills from his scholarly background to identify strategic areas of partnership between Malaysia and Kenya if approved for appointment as the Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur.
Amb. Githiora who is currently the Kenyan Ambasador to Kigali, Rwanda and who previously served as the Deputy Director, Peace and Security Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said he would put his best foot forward to defend Kenya’s strategic interests in Mozambique, if he gets the nod from the Committee and eventually the National Assembly to serve as Kenya’s Ambassador to Maputo.
Ms. Bashuna who is seeking the Committee’s approval to serve as Kenya’s Ambasador to Gaborone, Botswana also defended her professional competence for the job.
Koech, noted that most of the nominees had a diplomatic background, and that the MPs would undertake an indepth analysis of their responses to key questions, to gauge their knowledge on the destinations to which they have been nominated for appointment to, before drafting the final Committee Report.
“I wish you the very best, as we retreat to consider your suitability. If you are successful kindly endeavour to do your best to serve this country with all your might,”said Koech.
The vetting continues with another round of four nominees today and is expected to be concluded on Thursday next week.
The committee, is subsequently expected to table its Report on or before November 8, 2023, to enable the House consider the matter within the Statutory timelines.