Editor's Review

The state appointments were announced by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.

President William Ruto has appointed Ambassador Lazarus Amayo as the special envoy of the African Union Champion for Institution Reform.  

In a statement on Tuesday, May 14, by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, the outgoing Kenya's ambassador to the US is expected to play a critical role in driving AU's institutional reforms in liaison with the State Department for Foreign Affairs and the African Union institutions.  

Amayo has previously held several senior public positions among them; Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2018-2020), High Commissioner of Kenya to the United Kingdom (2014-2018), the Permanent Representative of Kenya to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Commonwealth Organization.

The outgoing Ambassador to the US also served as the Director for Europe and Commonwealth Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (2010-2014), High Commissioner of Kenya to Zambia and Malawi, and Permanent Representative to COMESA (2006-2010), Kenya's High Commissioner to India with concurrent accreditation to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Singapore (1999-2004).  

Ambassador Lazarus Amayo (right).

In another appointment, the Head of State re-established the position of Deputy Comptroller of State House, appointing Mr. Simon Mwangi Gikuru to the role.

Gikuru is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and he is the immediate former Secretary General of the Amani National Congress (ANC) party. 

He has over a decade of experience in in law, management, strategic planning, policy formulation, financial administration, consultancy, logistics, and conflict resolution.

“With the immense expertise and experience of the newly appointed officials, the Head of State and Government is confident that the two public officers will contribute enormously towards the realization of our shared aspirations for a fair, just, and equitable nation with shared prosperity for all, as espoused in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA),” read part of the statement by Koskei.