Ruto appoints Namwamba to his presidential secretariat

Deputy President William Ruto has appointed Foreign Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Ababu Namwamba as the Head of International Relations in his presidential campaign secretariat.

The DP’s presidential campaigns Director of Communications, Hussein Mohamed, said Namwamba, 46, was tapped for the new role because of his experience in diplomacy.

According to a Wednesday, February 9 statement by Mohamed, Ruto said he was “confident” in Namwamba’s ability to deliver in the new role.

“We have worked closely with Ababu over the past ten years on many fronts, and I have come to value his leadership, experience, focus and empathy. It is because of those qualities that I could not be more grateful to have him in our campaign team,” Ruto is quoted as saying.

“With his considerable diplomatic talents, deep knowledge of the continent, strong network in the global stage and unwavering determination, I am confident in his role within my presidential campaign,” added the deputy president.

Namwamba, who served as Budalang’i Member of Parliament between 2007 and 2017, was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta as Foreign Affairs ministry CAS in January 2018.

He unsuccessfully attempted to defend his seat on Labour Party Ticket in the 2017 polls, losing out to ODM candidate Raphael Wanjala.  

Last month, he was quoted by local media claiming he would not be seeking a political seat in this year’s polls.

He has on more than one occasion endorsed the DP’s quest for the presidency, saying his decision was fueled by his [Ruto’s] ideologies and agenda for the country.

He in 2016 quit as the ODM Secretary-General, on grounds that party leader Raila Odinga was no longer capable of convincing voters to support him.

Namwamba holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Law in International law from American University Washington College of Law.