EAC boss Peter Mathuki nominated Kenya ambassador to Russia
Friday March 08 2024
East African Community Secretary-General Peter Mathuki. File Photo | Xinhua
Kenya’s President William Ruto has nominated the East African Community (EAC) Secretary-General Peter Mathuki as Ambassador to Russia.
The nomination comes at a time when Dr Mathuki, who has been at the EAC since 2021, is facing impeachment over the alleged misappropriation of funds at the secretariat.
The matter came up during the debate on President Ruto’s speech, which he delivered on Wednesday, March 6, during the inaugural session of the 5th East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) in Nairobi.
“The financial rules of the Treaty establishing the EAC, Budget Act, and all the legislation provide that every money coming into the Community must be appropriated,” said Dennis Namara, Eala MP (Uganda), the chairperson of the finance sub-committee.
“Over $6 million that has been collected as far as I am concerned, that money has been spent and has never gone through appropriation. The SG never brought it to parliament for appropriation.”
Dr Mathuki, who was at the assembly, downplayed the issues of the allegations made against him, choosing instead to focus on the President’s speech.
Read: EAC leadership to blame for rising conflicts
Before joining the EAC, Dr Mathuki was a long-term Executive Director of the East African Business Council, the body that includes private sector associations in the member states of the EAC.
His ambassadorial nomination comes nearly three years after he took the reins of leadership at the regional bloc’s secretariat, replacing Burundi’s Liberat Mfumukeko.
Mathuki replacement
According to EAC protocol, the eligible head of State nominates a candidate who is then approved by the Summit of Heads of State. The post is usually rotational among member states and the occupants serve for five years.
Kenya has proposed Caroline Mwende Mueke to replace Dr Mathuki for the remaining two years of service at the EAC.
The public policy expert has worked in various agencies and missions of the United Nations, including Unesco, UNDP and the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan.
Ms Mueke has to be approved by the heads of State at a summit meeting.
Dr Mathuki, who is the second Kenyan to occupy the SG’s seat after Francis Muthaura, previously served as an Eala member of Parliament, chairing the Committee on Legal Affairs and Good Governance as well as Accounts, Trade and Investment.
He has held political positions in Kenya and in international bodies including the International Labour Standards at the former International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU-Africa), now ITUC-Africa, where he served as director.