President William Ruto has announced a sweeping reshuffle of Kenya’s foreign service, nominating new ambassadors and redeploying senior envoys in a move aimed at aligning the diplomatic corps with his administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
The shake-up blends career diplomats with political appointees, affecting strategic postings across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Gulf.
Lucy Kiruthu, previously Deputy Director General at the Foreign Office in charge of research and policy analysis, will take up the ambassadorship in Bangkok. She replaces Lindsay Kiptiness Kimwole, who returns to Nairobi to head the Asia–Pacific division.
In Vienna, career diplomat Edwin Afande becomes Kenya’s new permanent representative, while former Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore is appointed ambassador to Namibia.
A significant shift in continental representation sees George Orina, ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the African Union, reassigned to Dublin.
His Addis Ababa role will be filled by Galma Boru, formerly Kenya’s inaugural envoy to Jakarta. Jakarta’s new ambassador will be political appointee Abdirashid Salat Abdille, while acting chief of protocol Henry Wambuma moves to Bujumbura.
In Ankara, Anthony Mwaniki Muchiri, former Public Service Commission chairperson, replaces Uhuru-era appointee Leonard Boiyo.
London’s Catherine Karemu heads to Dar es Salaam, with her post in the UK taken over by Maurice Odhiambo Makoloo, who has been serving in Vienna.
Joseph Masila, until recently director for economic and commercial affairs at the Foreign Office, will head to Riyadh, replacing Mohamed Ramadhan Ruwange, who is transferred to Arusha as consul general—a move seen as a demotion from his Saudi posting.
The reshuffle also extends to consular and deputy head of mission positions in locations including Arusha and Ottawa, signaling a deliberate mix of political patronage, professional rotation, and strategic focus in Kenya’s diplomatic network.
