Parliament Defence Committee set to vet 9 ambassadorial nominees
By Mabonga Makhanu, August 23, 2025The National Assembly Defence Committee, chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech, is now set to vet ambassadorial nominees to various countries who were recently appointed by President Ruto.
In a statement issued by the National Assembly Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee on Saturday, August 23, 2025, under the leadership of Hon. Nelson Koech, approval hearings for nine nominees to the positions of High Commissioner, Ambassador, and Consul-General will be conducted on Wednesday, 3rd and Thursday, 4th September 2025 at Parliament Buildings.
“The National Assembly Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Hon. Nelson Koech will conduct approval hearings of nine nominees for the positions of high commissioner, ambassadors and consuls-general on Wednesday, September 2; Thursday, September 3; and Friday, September 4, 2025, at Parliament Buildings,” a statement on Parliament’s Facebook page read.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Samuel Njoroge, has invited members of the public to submit any representations they may have by way of written statements on oath (affidavits) with supporting evidence contesting the suitability of the candidates for appointment to the offices they have been nominated to.
“The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Samuel Njoroge, has invited members of the public to submit any representations they may have by way of written statements on oath (affidavits) with supporting evidence contesting the suitability of the candidates for appointment to the offices they have been nominated to.” They added.
The memoranda may be forwarded to the Clerk of the National Assembly, P.O. Box 41842-00100, Nairobi; hand-delivered to the Office of the Clerk, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi; or emailed to cna@parliament.go.ke to be received on or before Monday, 1st September 2025, by 5.00 pm.
Mudavadi’s recent statement
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi has moved to clarify Kenya’s recent nomination of a Consul-General to Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The clarification follows concerns raised by Congolese authorities over what they termed a lack of prior consultations in the appointment process.
On August 15, 2025, President William Ruto had recently nominated and redeployed ambassadors, high commissioners, consuls general, and deputy heads of mission to twenty positions globally.
Among these was the posting of a consul general to Goma, DRC. The announcement, however, drew a prompt response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Francophonie of the DRC, which formally expressed unease over the appointment, pointing to the absence of consultations.
According to the clarification issued by Mudavadi while responding to Congolese authorities, the nomination by the president does not automatically translate into a diplomatic posting.
Mudavadi has noted that Kenya’s constitutional framework, together with international diplomatic practice, requires that after parliamentary approval of the nominee, the government must seek agrément, formal acceptance from the host country.