The National Assembly Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations has rejected the nomination of Charles Githinji Kiiru as the Consular General for Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid public outrage over his underwhelming performance during the grilling session.
The move by the committee chaired by Belgut Member of Parliament (MP) Nelson Koech came as no surprise as MPs had expressed disappointment with the nominee’s unpreparedness and lack of knowledge on his duty station.
“That the house rejects the appointment of Charles Githinji Kiiru as the Consular General for Goma.” Koech told the House while tabling the vetting report.
The nominee shocked MPs and Kenyans following proceedings after telling the committee that DRC’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) equated to its population.
“GDP is the current population… I will go back to the Foreign Affairs Academy to learn more about this job.” He responded during his vetting sending shockwaves and eliciting murmurs among MPs.
In the academic qualifications deposited at the vetting committee, Githinji had only attained a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate in which he scored a grade ‘D’.
Githinji admitted he had not advanced his education although he had a Certificate in Business Management and a driving course.
Basic requirements for the role include a degree and a minimum of five years of experience in a customer-facing capacity.
Consular General appointees require fundamental economic knowledge, crucial for representing Kenyan commercial interests in the state dispatched.
Nominees awaiting House approval following committee nod include former Kisumu Senator Fred Outa, nominated as Ambassador to Egypt, and former Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi, nominated as the country’s High Commissioner to Uganda.
Communications Authority of Kenya Director General Ezra Chiloba made a comeback with his nomination as Kenya’s Consul-General in Los Angeles, United States.
President William Ruto nominated Lt. Gen. Peter Mbogo Njiru as High Commissioner to Islamabad, Pakistan, nominating Lt. General Jonah Mwangi as Ambassador to Tehran, Iran.
He picked former LSK Vice President Caroline Kamende Daudi to serve as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Canada, Catherine Kirumba Karemu to London, United Kingdom, and Lilian Tomitom to Lusaka, Zambia.
