Another civil servant bites the dust, then rises immediately to become Kenya’s ambassador. I am talking of the former Kenya Revenue Authority commissioner-general. This has been the pattern, where ambassadorial appointments have been reduced to political tokens and tribal appeasements rather than something to be taken seriously, since the country’s foreign policy hinges on it.
The correction of the Foreign Affairs principal secretary by the Iranian Embassy in Kenya on the tenets of international law and diplomacy is an indication that tribalism or cronyism does not cut it on the international stage. The problem of poor appointments leads to the sort of faux pas that have been coming out of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The drive to teach ambassadors how to use a knife and fork is a testament to how unprepared and unqualified some of the appointees have been. Using a knife and fork should be a nursery school training to enable kids to grow up with good table manners. Kenyans will argue that this is not fit for eating ugali.
But eating with cutlery should be emphasised for hygiene reasons. For a country that has a limited supply of water, and its people suffer from bouts of waterborne diseases, eating with a knife and fork is the best way to minimise the risk of infections such as cholera. Wooden knives and forks do not need that much water to sanitise and are environmentally friendly.
Political and tribal appointees
However, the biggest problem with most of our ambassadors is not ignorance on the use of knives and forks when eating, but lack of understanding of international law and diplomacy. As I mentioned, most ambassadors are political and tribal appointees. Their loyalty is either with the political party that appointed them or the tribe from which they come. It is never about representing the country’s interests abroad.
Having career diplomats is crucial in establishing stability in the foreign policy of a country. Trained diplomats understand the nitty-gritty of international institutions and statutes, which makes them the right people to engage with foreign countries in times of war and peace. Their expertise is important, too, in driving the economic interests of the country.
Lack of professionals in the Foreign ministry has meant it lacks individuals who can articulate what the country’s foreign policies are and build on them. One can’t articulate what one doesn’t know. Majority of our ambassadors, if put on the spot, couldn’t count on one finger what our foreign policies. However, they understand the needs of the appointing authority, which on the international stage amounts to nothing.
Political ambassadorial appointees also lack neutrality when offering Kenyans consular services while abroad. Essentially, they export the political and tribal challenges faced in the country to their posts. Miguna Miguna’s passport saga explains this predicament better than most. Ambassadors should not have to be remote controlled by politicians when making decisions if those decisions meet both domestic and international laws.
Ambassadorial posts have become the cesspit in which to dump incompetent individuals whom the government only wants to hold onto for political purposes—to influence votes and or appease tribes. Thanks to such appointments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lost its core. It is not surprising, therefore, to see its own PS trip on his tongue when making statements that go contrary to international law.
If there is one ministry that should have all the instruments of international law and diplomacy on its fingertips, it’s Foreign Affairs. However, it can’t and won’t as long as it continues to draw its team of diplomats out of tribal and political hats rather than the pool of diplomats trained in international law. The University of Nairobi’s School of Diplomacy has lost relevance due to unfair recruitment of ambassadors.
It is one thing looking towards Singapore, and it is another looking to the global working systems that need a country to have forward-thinking foreign policies. What the country fails to see is its strategic position in Africa, which is being undermined by weak foreign policies and even weaker ambassadors.
I think it is time to put down those knives and forks and get to reshaping the Foreign Affairs ministry by appointing career diplomats. Ambassadorial posts deserve more respect than they have been given by successive governments.
