President William Ruto has appointed Ambassador Willy Bett as his envoy to China, just over week to his first visit to Beijing since he came to office.Â
Ambassador Bett, until his appointment the High Commissioner to India, replaces Mary Muthoni, who was recalled in February, just months after her posting by then President Uhuru Kenyatta in June 2022.Â
Deputy Head of Mission in Beijing Amb Edwin Afande, who has been the charge d’affaires, moves to London in the same capacity after Amb Kiarie Kaimere returned to Nairobi in August.
Peter Munyiri, former Family Bank CEO and 2022 Nyeri governor candidate on the Chama Cha Kazi ticket, has been nominated to replace Bett as the High Commissioner in New Delhi.
Munyiri was acquitted in the National Youth Service graft case in December 2022 of allegations of helping key suspect Josephine Kabura launder Sh791 million using three bank accounts at Family Bank The case was dropped for lack of evidence.
While acquitting Munyiri, Milimani Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi said the law does not allow the CEO of a bank to be a cash reporting officer as the prosecution had argued. Andayi acquitted Munyiri and two others after the prosecution failed to prove the money laundering allegations against them.
The magistrate held that Family Bank was responsible for the suspicious transactions that were made by Kabura after its Anti-money Laundering Compliance manager Charles Kamau Thiongo failed to report to Central Bank of Kenya as was required.Â
If approved by the National Assembly, Munyiri will be deputised by Terry Ramadhani, the suspended Kenya Medical Supplies Authority CEO.
Ramadhani was suspended on May by Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha over alleged impropriety within Kemsa in its management and administration. The CEO was implicated in the mosquito net deal following allegations of irregularities in the tendering process.
In the redeployment and nomination of envoys, Ambassador Betty Chebet, who was Chief of Protocol at MFA, has been sent to Paris, France, replacing Prof Judi Wakhungu, who recently finished her tour of duty. Stella Orina replaces former Political and Diplomatic Secretary Tom Amollo in Berlin, Germany, as the ambassador.
Ambassador Tabu Irina leaves Tokyo for Dublin, Ireland, while the MFA Director General – Bilateral and Political Affairs George Orina has been posted to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, replacing Amb Jean Kamau.Â
Amb Philip Mundia has been sent to Maputo, Mozambique, Amb Issac Parashina proceeds to Abuja, Nigeria, while Amb Fredrick Musambili is the new envoy in Rome, Italy. Â
Amb Angeline Kavindu will be in Stockholm, Sweden, while Jane Wairimu replaces Catherine Mwangi in Pretoria, South Africa.
Col Rtd Shem Amadi has been nominated to replace George Masafu in Kinshasa, Sabdio Dido to Gaborone, Jeremy Nyamasyo to Juba, Jeremy Laibuttah to troubled Khartoum, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Chief of Staff  George Macgoye to Djibouti and Joyce Khasimwa Luanda, Angola.Â
Others are Janet Mwawasi (Kigali, Rwanda); Kiringo Kubai (Mogadishu, Somalia); Mercy Mueni (Arusha, Tanzania); Abdi Weli (Hargeisa, Somalia); Fouzia Abdirahman (Bern, Switzerland); Sharon ole Sein (Madrid, Spain); Maurice Makoloo (Vienna, Austria); and Prof Peter Ngure (Unesco, France).Â
Others are Emmy Jerono (Seoul, South Korea); John Ekitela (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) replacing former CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro; Wilson Kogo (Canberra, Australia); Mohamed Ramadhan (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia); Lt Gen Albert Kendagor (Tel Aviv, Israel) repacing former Air Force Commander Lt Gen (Rtd) Samuel Thuita, and Mohamed Nor Adan (Doha, Qatar).Â
Other deputy head of missions who have been redeployed or nominated are Registrar of Treaties at MFA Amb James Waweru (Geneva, Switzerland); Kasera Achayo (Paris, France); Valerie Rugene (Berlin, Germany); Irene Maswan (Moscow, Russia); and Daniel Cheruiyot,(Brussels, Belgium).Â
The nominated ambassadors and high commissioners will be vetted before their posting.
