Kenya’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Nairobi Ambassador Anthony Andanje is dead.
He succumbed to cancer, according a close associate.
Defence CS Monica Juma — formerly of Foreign Affairs — on Monday sent her condolences to the family and the Ministry. This came shortly after the death of Kenya’s envoy to South Sudan Ambassador Chris Mburu, who collapsed and died in Juba on Sunday.
“I convey my deepest condolences to the families and friends of Ambassador Chris Mburu (our Ambassador to South Sudan) and Ambassador Tony Andanje, (former PR to UNON) who have both passed on in the last 24 hours. To CS Omamo and the entire MFA family, poleni sana,” Juma said.
The former Foreign Affairs CS said these two diplomats “served diligently and with utmost patriotism to our motherland”.
“When you had them behind the flag you were assured that Kenya was safe and well represented. May their souls rest in peace and their families find faith to help navigate this difficult moment,” Juma added.
The envoy was hospitalised at the Aga Khan Hospital and had undergone an operation prior to his demise.
Andanje was promoted to the rank of Ambassador by President Mwai Kibaki in January 2009 and appointed Director of International Organisations Division.
He also served as the Deputy Ambassador to Kenya’s Mission to the UN mission and Director of Multilateral Affairs Directorate on different periods between 2011 and 2018.
When Luyha MPs in May last year accused Juma of frustrating members of the community in foreign service postings, Andanje was among the diplomats they cited.
The lawmakers cited seven other senior foreign affairs officers they claimed were recalled from their stations but are currently ‘idling’ at the headquarters. By the time of his death, Andanje was based at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters.
They were Senators Cleophas Malala, Naomi Shionga (Nominated), MPs George Aladwa, and Godfrey Osotsi.
They said Andanje was replaced by Njambi Kinyungu as ambassador yet his peers are still serving.
They cited the case of ambassadors Ken Vitisia former of Burundi and the International Great Lakes Region, Andanje, Simon Nabukwesi, who was recently appointed Education PS, Geoffrey Okanga, Florence Weche, Shikanga Shitsama, Yvonne Khamati and Patrick Wamoto, who resigned upon his appointment as a commissioner at the Public Service Commission.
