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Ruto envoy shake-up: Transfers and new names in fresh diplomatic changes
The fresh changes affect 21 diplomatic postings across Africa, Europe, Asia and North America.
President William Ruto on Friday announced a fresh round of nominations and redeployments affecting 21 postings in Kenya’s Foreign Service.
State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, in a statement, described the changes as a realignment aimed at “optimising performance and enhancing service delivery” under the president’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
The shake-up affects 21 diplomatic postings across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America, underscoring Dr Ruto’s push to retool Kenya’s foreign policy machinery to match his economic agenda and growing global engagements.
Among the high-profile appointments is former Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Florence Chepngetich Bore, who has been nominated as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Windhoek, Namibia.
Former Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore.
Mr George Morara Orina, formerly Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, has been posted to Dublin, Ireland, while Mr Maurice Odhiambo Makoloo moves from Austria to become Kenya’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, replacing Catherine Kirumba Karemu who shifts from London to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Maurice Odhiambo Makoloo, who moves from Austria to become Kenya’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Amb Catherine Kirumba Karemu.
Consequently, Mr Edwin Afande takes over from Mr Makoloo as Ambassador to Vienna, Austria, while Mr Lindsay Kiptiness, who completed his term as Ambassador to Bangkok, Thailand, returns to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to head the Asia Affairs Department.
Lindsay Kiptiness at a past event.
He is succeeded in Bangkok by Ms Lucy Kiruthu, a career diplomat who has been MFA’s Deputy Director General for Political and Diplomatic
Mr Henry Wambuma, acting Chief of Protocol at MFA, becomes Ambassador to Bujumbura, Burundi.
Other notable appointments include Galma Mukhe Boru who has been posted to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, replacing Mr Orina who heads to Dublin, Ireland.
Public Service Commission chairman Anthony Mwaniki Muchiri has been posted to Ankara, Turkey, Abdirashid Salat Abdille to Jakarta, Indonesia, Joseph Musyoka Masila to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Suleiman Ibrahim Roba as Deputy Head of Mission in Riyadh
Public Service Commission Chairman Anthony Mwaniki Muchiri.
The President also named three new Consul Generals — Mohamed Ramadhan Ruwange in Arusha, Tanzania; Jayne Jepkorir in Dubai, United Arabs Emirates (UAE), and Judy Kiaria Nkumiri in Goma, DRC.
Deputy Heads of Mission
President Ruto also made changes to Kenya’s Deputy Heads of Mission in various capitals. Mr Mohamed Amin Sheikh Nuh has been posted to Berlin, Germany, while Amb Kipkosgei Toroitich will serve in Kampala, Uganda.
Amb Moni Manyange heads to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Amb Geoffrey Eyanae Kaituko has been assigned to Ottawa, Canada.
Former Labour Principal Secretary Geoffrey Kaituko.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Amb Suleiman Ibrahim Roba takes over as Deputy Head of Mission, while Mr David Mwangi Karanja will serve in Seoul, South Korea.
Third shake-up
This is the third major diplomatic shake-up since President Ruto took office in September 2022. It follows weeks of high-level engagements with the United States, Gulf states and Asian partners, reflecting what State House calls a pivot to “economic diplomacy.”
Observers note that under Dr Ruto, Kenya’s foreign policy has increasingly intertwined with trade and investment goals.
Envoys are expected not only to represent Kenya politically but also to secure market access for Kenyan products, attract investors, and support the diaspora, whose remittances hit a record Sh660 billion in 2024.
Diplomatic postings in Kenya have historically blended professional merit with political reward.
The latest appointments suggest a balancing act between rewarding loyal allies, promoting career officers and positioning trusted figures in strategic capitals.
