Amb Macharia, Kenyans in diaspora need you now

Ambassador Macharia Kamau, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a career diplomat with almost unparalleled experience. But when he recently appeared before the parliamentary Defence and Foreign Relations Committee, he seemed out of step with the mood of the country.

At one point, he said ‘ndege sio matatu’ (planes are not matatus). This was in an attempt to explain the apparent impracticability of evacuating all Kenyans from different parts of the world, especially during lockdowns in many countries. Such language creates an impression that Kenya is unwilling or unable to do whatever it takes to rescue its citizens abroad from harm’s way.