From the outset, let me point out that this is the position I would go for any time. Reason being, we have five veto powers in the world—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
None of these countries is from Africa, despite most African countries being UN members and having ratified key policies being implemented by the Big Five. And then we have 15 non-veto powers countries.
The UN has five blocs and Kenya falls under the African bloc, where we are allocated three slots.
It is therefore very important for Kenya to go for this position.
UN has got four headquarters—New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi. Kenya having one of the UN headquarters calls for a concerted effort to ensure we fight for it.
There are a lot of benefits of having the UNEP headquarters in Kenya. The UN Security Council has more powers than the UN General Assembly as it has the powers to sanction. That is the body Kenya needs to join.
Kenya should use all methods and means possible to win the seat. We need to retain the Unep office in Nairobi, we need as a country to be in that boardroom where crucial decisions governing the world are made. Chances of Kenya winning are very high because the African Union has endorsed her candidature and the majority of its members have accepted to vote for Kenya.
The only country which is not supporting Kenya is Djibouti which is being pushed by either China or America, but I suspect the United States of America.
Kenya needs to lobby the other four blocks - Latin America, the East and the European countries. I am sure we shall make it.
I know former Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma had done a lot of work before being moved to the Ministry of Defence.
But that will not affect the outcome for two reasons.
One, we are an institution and two, a country of good reputation globally and there is no reason why we should not win.
We should be very careful-we are a sovereign state and our progress should not be based on individuals but rather on institutions.
The first Kenyan Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (2009-2014) spoke to the Star
