Outgoing ICT Cabinet Secretary Dr Margaret Nyambura Ndungu declined her nomination as Kenya High Commissioner to Ghana.
President William Ruto had nominated her as the High Commissioner to Accra, Ghana.
She was scheduled to appear before the e departmental committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations on Friday January 10 morning but failed to turn up.
She cited personal reasons for her moves.
Her rejection follows a demotion in Ruto’s cabinet reshuffle.
She becomes the second appointee to turn down the ambassadorial role after the former Mugirango West MP Vincent Kemosi’s rejection last year.
The National Assembly has been recalled for a special sitting on January 16 to consider reports on various appointments made by Ruto.
Speaker Moses Wetangula announced the Special Sittings will be held in the National Assembly Chamber, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, commencing at 10.00 am and at 2.30 pm.
The meeting will among others discuss and consider the tabling of the report and Notice of Special Motion on the Report of the Committee on Appointments on its consideration of nominees for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries and tabling of the report and Notice of Special Motion on the Report of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on its consideration of nominees for appointment as High Commissioners, Ambassadors, Permanent Representative and
Consul-General.
It will also consider the tabling of the report and Notice of Special Motion on the Report of the Departmental Committee on Labour on its consideration of nominees for appointment as Vice-Chairperson and members of the Public Service Commission.
The Committee on Appointments is set to conduct approval hearings for three nominees proposed by Ruto for Cabinet Secretary Positions on January 14, 2025, at County Hall, Parliament Buildings.
The nominees include Mutahi Kagwe, a former Health Cabinet Secretary under retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has been nominated to head the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has been designated for the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, while former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui has been proposed to lead the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry.
Kagwe is scheduled to appear before the Committee on Appointments, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, as the first nominee on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at noon.
Kabogo will take the stand at 3:00 p.m., followed by Kinyanjui at 5:00 p.m.
Additionally, the departmental committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations started to vet nominees for ambassadorial, high commissioner and diplomatic representative positions on Friday, January 10, 2025, at Committee Room 9, 1st Floor, Main Parliament Buildings.
Dr. Andrew Karanja, the immediate former Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, has been nominated as Kenya’s Ambassador to Brazil appeared before the team.
Ababu Namwamba, the former Sports Cabinet Secretary, who has been nominated as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi was scheduled to appear before the team later.
Former Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow, nominated as Consul-General to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, concluded the vetting.
Meanwhile, the departmental committee on Labour will conducted approval hearings for nominees to fill vacancies at the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at Committee Room 9, 1st Floor, Main Parliament Buildings.
Among the nominees is former Principal Secretary for the State Department for Public Service, Mary Kimonye, who has been named the new Vice-Chairperson of the PSC.
She will be joined by six other nominees for commission member positions Harun Maalim Hassan, Boya Molu, Irene Cherotich Asienga, Francis Otieno Owino, Joan Andisi Machayo, and Francis Meja.
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