DIPLOMATS APPOINTING IN KENYA

When last October Government posted diplomats to missions abroad, there was uproar because most of them were either relatives of senior politicians or election losers. State officials are at it again and the secrecy this time round is higher than before and style of appointment and induction of the lucky few more questionable. For a start, our enquiries found out, only about five senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could be privy to what is going on, the full list, as well as destination of the lucky lot and fate of those recalled. It turned out Government is training 14 people who will soon be posted to embassies abroad, through an arrangement with a local university that hosts an institute of diplomacy. Our sources, whose request for anonymity we respect because they were not cleared to speak on the appointments, said only Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula, Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura and Foreign Affairs PS Thuita Mwangi know the details of the upcoming postings. It is believed President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga are the other two people in Government in the know. The confidential sources in Government revealed some of those undergoing training for posting include Dave Arunga, a former personal assistant to Prime Minister Raila Odinga, former Constitution of Kenya Review Commissioner Nancy Barasa, a respected lawyer, who is said to command professional respect from Wetangula; and Ken Osinde, a senior official at the College of Insurance. He was also at one time a member of former Cabinet Simeon Nyachae’s think-tank. Also said to have clinched one of the slots is Peter Salim Ndemo, a retired Public Service Commissioner said to be related to Information PS Bitange Ndemo.