Parliament rejects President Ruto's nominee for DRC Consul-General

The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations has rejected President William Ruto’s nominee for Consul General in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Charles Githinji Keiru.

In a report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the committee cited Githinji’s lack of requisite qualities, knowledge, abilities, and experience.

The nominee was, during his vetting, at a loss for words when asked to explain the meaning of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Committee Chairperson Nelson Koech.

He was also hard pressed to explain inconsistencies in his academic credentials highlighted, with committee members also scrutinizing his alleged employment history, including roles as a former petrol station retailer, director at Ruaraka Choma Inn, and sales attendant at UNGA Limited.

"How will you carry out your responsibilities given your own limitation in education and experience?" Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan posed then.

"I believe once approved by this committee, I will be able to go back to school and basically learn foreign affairs and learn more," Githinji responded.

Despite recommending the appointment of the remaining 25 nominees, issues such as inexperience, integrity questions, and lack of diplomatic credentials, which plagued some of the nominees and who are expected to serve Nairobi in critical capitals, were not adequately addressed.

The 89-page report also approved three nominees: Abdi Aden Korio for Muscat, Oman; Lilian Tomitom for Lusaka, Zambia; and Kenneth Ng'ang'a for Abu Dhabi, UAE. However, concerns regarding their overall knowledge were raised.

Despite questions regarding their integrity, previous service record, and diplomatic maneuvering in an evolving space, nominees for Washington DC (David Kiplagat Kerich) and Los Angeles (Ezra Chiloba) in the USA, two critical diplomatic stations, were also approved by the committee.

"My education as a lawyer, one of the subjects I did was public international law. So, I am not that green in diplomacy," said Kerich during the vetting.

"It is important to consider justice and fairness so that integrity is not integrity without justice," said Chiloba.

If approved by the House, the 25 will take up assignments that will see them champion for Kenya’s interests, in a rather fast-changing diplomatic eco-system and a world gripped by trade wars, and in fear over instability with a war in Europe and a volatile Middle East.