The National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech, has begun vetting nominees for appointment as Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and Consul-Generals.
The first to appear before the committee was Hon. Florence Bore, nominated as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Windhoek, Namibia. Bore previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Labour from 2022 to 2024 and as Kericho County Woman Representative from 2017 to 2022.
Speaking on Kenya-Namibia ties, Bore said the relationship dates back to 1964.
“In 2018 the first agreement between Kenya and Namibia was signed under the Joint Co-operation Agreement, with several others following. If approved, I will work towards the full implementation of these agreements,” she said.
She added that her top priority would be economic diplomacy, with a focus on trade and investments.
“We should open up our markets, particularly for agricultural products,” she noted.
Bore also promised to address challenges facing Kenyans in Namibia, especially access to consular services.
“Currently, people have to go all the way to South Africa for passports, IDs, and birth certificates. If approved, I will work to bring these services closer to them,” she said.
Bore holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Moi University and taught for 23 years before joining politics.
The committee later vetted Ambassador Anthony Muchiri, nominated as Kenya’s Ambassador to Ankara, Turkey. Muchiri currently chairs the Public Service Commission (PSC), a role he took up in December 2021. He previously served as Ambassador to Havana, Cuba, and as a Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The committee highlighted his long public service career. However, members pressed him on Kenya’s trade imbalance with Turkey.
“Kenya exports goods worth about $23 million to Turkey, but imports nearly $300 million. This imbalance needs to be fixed. Turkey imposes high tariffs and VAT on tea, making it difficult for Kenya to penetrate the market. I will push for reciprocity and diversification of exports, including horticulture and other products,” he said.
On his readiness for the role, Muchiri said he was well-prepared.
“I have led missions before and understand the importance of working with embassy staff as a team. My immediate focus will be to strengthen trade and bilateral cooperation. However, resources are critical. For example, Istanbul is the commercial hub, yet the embassy is in Ankara. Without adequate facilitation, it is difficult to pursue Kenya’s trade agenda effectively,” he told MPs.
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