Monica Juma, the Energy Cabinet Secretary, has withdrawn from the contest for Commonwealth Secretary-General, indicating disagreements among the club of mostly former British colonies regarding her candidacy.
Sources in the government revealed to the Business Daily that Dr Juma, a major person in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, had withdrew her candidacy.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported earlier on Saturday that Kenya has formally announced Dr Juma’s resignation, citing a lack of appropriate support from Commonwealth members for Kenya’s bid.
“This week, Kenya’s Foreign Ministry stated that it has become clear that several Commonwealth member nations are uncomfortable and/or hesitant to lend their support for our candidate,” according to the journal.
Dr Juma had been seen as a strong contender to replace Dominican-born British diplomat and long-serving politician Patricia Janet Scotland.
Ms Scotland is serving as the sixth secretary-general of the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth brings together a quarter of the world’s countries and a third of the world’s population.
It includes developed nations such as Britain, Canada and Australia, emerging economies like India, Nigeria and Malaysia and small island states such as Tuvalu and Barbados.
Ms Scotland was elected at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and took office on April 1, 2016.
