CS Juma given 10 days' notice on Mwende Mwinzi

Kenya Ambassadorial nominee to Seoul, South Korea, Mwende Mwinzi during the vetting process before the National Assembly Defence and Foreign Relations Committee at County Hall, Nairobi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma has been given 10 days to confirm if Mwende Mwinzi has denounced her US citizenship before taking up a role as an envoy.

Ms Mwinzi was approved by Parliament in June as Kenya’s ambassador to South Korea on condition that she renounces her foreign citizenship before taking up the matter.

Appearing before Committee on Implementation yesterday, Dr Juma told MPs that Mwizi was yet to take up the role as they were still being trained by the ministry.

Juma said the ministry was keen on handling the matter, which she described as unprecedented.

She told the MPs that vetting by the House proved that she was suitable to take up the role, save for her citizenship. Committee chairman Moitalel ole Kenta (Narok North) directed that the ministry ceases spending more money on her training until she makes a decision to renounce her dual citizenship.