THE FIGHT FOR DIASPORA VOTE !

Recall of Kenya's missions abroad signals beginning of tough anvassing President Uhuru.

Based on past practices of Previous government but now because of the pre-election agreements, it is expected that both TNAand URP will either take the envied London mission and equally important Washington post. What other parties in the coalition will get is not yet clear. Mrs Mwangi is sister to former Cabinet Minister and Dagoretti MP, Beth Mugo and a cousin to President Kenyatta. But while the horse trading continues behind closed doors, and prospective appointees wait with abated breath, perhaps the people who will be more expectant are Kenyans in the diaspora. This group, just like politicians back home, is divided along ethnic and political lines.Each side of the divide will be hoping that a person from their own community or political affiliation is appointed to head the mission in their country of residence.

This is because the appointments, and those which will come next, will be crucial in the execution of the next general elections in which more than 3 million Kenyans in the Diaspora will be expected to vote for the first time.

By their appointments, the president and his deputy will be making political statements on how they intend to strategize prior to the 2017 elections.

The envoys are seen as State Officers who should not participate in politics. However, those lucky enough to be appointed will definitely be expected to exert some influence over potential voters in their stations. Their terms of service will not necessarily be limited to bilateral relations, but rather will be expected to be on a political covert mission for the Jubilee Government.

Kenyatta has finally recalled 39 out of 52 Kenya’s envoys based abroad. The recall signifies the beginning of tough canvassing, horse-trading and brinkmanship by all the key political prayers in the government, as each tries to have his or her person appointed to the hugely lucrative posts. coveted are the posts that there is reliable information that in the past, some appointments came after prospective envoys parted with millions of shillings in bribery paid to some powerful ministers or their PSs, who acted as the go between. With some envoys in key stations pocketing more than Sh1million every month besides other allowances and gratuities, free healthcare and education for their children abroad and first class return air tickets to and from Kenya twice every year, these postings are mostly awarded to the highest bidder, or to those who have the ears of the president or his men. 

It is therefore no wonder that some diplomats, who complete their tour of duty fight so hard to remain in their stations, instead of returning home as directed by the permanent secretary, who in most cases is hopelessly powerless to reign in stubborn political appointees.

The most embarrassing case of undiplomatic deviance was that of Kenya’s former High Commissioner to London, Joseph Muchemi who had to be locked out of his office and his official car confiscated by his deputy after he ignored orders from the permanent secretary, Mwangi Thuita to return home.

Mr Muchemi later took up private residence in UK where he is still living while undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. But who would give up so easily a post that is so often equated to a gravy train rather than an institution for championing government’s foreign policy?

By January of this year Kenyans had paid Sh265.1 million in rent and remuneration for 13 diplomats who had either refused to return home or were held up by bureaucracy after their tours of duty ended. 

The envoys had stayed on for periods ranging between five and 32 months after the expiry of their tenures with one costing Kenyans as much as Sh48 million. Since January, that cost must have doubled since envoys stayed on as politicians fought the general elections. Mishi Mwatsahu, who was stationed in Islamabad, Pakistan, was singled out as having overstayed with 32 months and drawn a total of Sh48.3 million. She earned a monthly salary and Foreign Service allowance of Sh851,515.

Ephraim Waweru Ngare, outgoing Kenya’s High Commission to London, and Mary Mbiro Khimulu who was based in UNESCO, Paris had overstayed with 25 and 24 months respectively, drawing a total of Sh41 million each. They earned a monthly salary and Foreign Service allowance of Sh1 million each. The impasse is a clear indication that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lacked a clear policy on recalling and extending terms of service for diplomatic appointees and other officers in missions abroad.