Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has disclosed that President William Ruto invited him for a sitting before he nominated him as Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on Friday, January 10, Namwamba noted that President Ruto explained to him what was expected of him before the nomination was made public.
“I consider it to have been honourable, respectful and protocol that the president invited me to a sitting to discuss this responsibility before it was made public which I want to thank him for. I know exactly what he expects of me in this role because he personally explained it to me. I know where it ranks in his agenda and in the delivery of a better trim and I believe it is a task I would sufficiently execute,” Namwamba remarked.
At the same time, he noted that he considered the new role as a reassignment and not a demotion, maintaining that he had considerable experience in executing the duties of the role.
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“Would I consider being handed an assignment to represent Kenya in that space a demotion? No. I would consider it a reassignment. I believe that I am almost tailor-made for this position given my learning, intellectual capacity, experience and exposure," Namwamba stated.
He added, "I believe that this is a role I will execute very well and I will not require any extra motivation because of what I believe the UN and UNEP to be to the world and to the country,” he added."
Namwamba is among three former CSs who were reassigned by President Ruto to different roles away from the Cabinet.
The Head of State nominated former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Andrew Karanja as Kenya’s Ambassador to Brazil and former ICT Cabinet Secretary Margaret Ndung’u as Kenya's High Commissioner to Ghana.
Meanwhile, Ndung'u has declined President Ruto's offer, citing personal and family obligations.
