MPs want appointment of Mwende Mwinzi as envoy cancelled

Mwende Mwinzi during her vetting by the National Assembly Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations for the position of Kenya's ambassador to Seoul, South Korea, May 28, 2019. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

MPs now want the National Assembly to rescind its decision to approve the nomination of Ms Mwende Mwinzi as Kenya’s envoy to Seoul, South Korea.

The Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations chaired by Kajiado South MP Katoo ole Metito took the decision after Ms Mwinzi failed to renounce her US citizenship before she takes over the appointment as recommended by the House on June 6, 2019.

“Having scrutinised the report of the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations, the House rescinds its resolution, which approved the nomination of Ms Mwinzi for appointment as an ambassador to Seoul, South Korea,” the committee recommends in its report tabled in the House Wednesday afternoon.

The House had approved the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee’s report recommending the appointment of all the envoy nominees but with a caveat that Ms Mwinzi renounces her US citizenship in line with the Constitution.

This means that if the plenary approves the decision of Mr Kenta’s committee, it will invalidate part of the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee’s report.