- CS Omamo asked the envoys to consider Juma as the seventh secretary general of the Commonwealth
- Juma said she will be working towards building consensus around her candidature
Image: FREDERICK OMONDI
Defence Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma has embarked on a campaign to be endorsed for Commonwealth secretary general, a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated her.
Juma met envoys from Commonwealth member states in Nairobi on Tuesday afternoon and urged them to convince their governments to support her candidature.
“Believing that I have the expertise, experience, skills and competencies to move the Commonwealth secretariat to the next level, I seek your support and endorsement at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit to serve as the next secretary general,” she said.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Rachael Omamo introduced Juma to the envoys and assured them that her Defence counterpart was equal to the task.
“My duty today is to introduce Monica to you, though many of you already know her, but I think it's important to reiterate her qualities. She is my sister and colleague in the Cabinet, and my predecessor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we changed places. I became the Minister for Foreign Affairs and she became the Minister for Defence,” Omamo said.
She added that Juma is “an absolute top notch candidate for the post. Perhaps there's no better way to introduce her to you but to quote the words of President Uhuru Kenyatta who said she has an indisputable knowledge of government, regional and multilateral relations, international development, security and humanitarian issues.”
Omamo asked the envoys to consider Juma for the seventh secretary general of the Commonwealth.
“I'm glad to note that I have already been in touch with several of my colleagues in the Commonwealth to deliver this request ahead of the formal submission of the nomination,” she added.
There are 54 countries in the Commonwealth in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific.
Leaders of member countries shape Commonwealth policies and priorities. All members have an equal say regardless of size or wealth.
In her address, Juma said the Commonwealth leadership will be instrumental in steering the organisation to leverage its diversity to harness opportunities for women.
“In this regard, it will be my intention to create effective teams around the core values and principles of the Commonwealth, as articulated in the Commonwealth Charter,” she stated.
Juma noted that she had the chance to work with some of the envoys when she was in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The reason we have this candidature is because I believe that I am a visionary, strategic, innovative and transformative leader with a track record of successful public service, proven commitment and integrity. I have insights in government and private organisations at the national, regional and international levels,” she added.
Juma said she will be working towards building consensus around her candidature and throughout her tenure if she gets the position.
The Commonwealth secretariat is the intergovernmental organisation that supports member countries to achieve the Commonwealth's aims of development, democracy and peace.
Leaders agree on priority areas of work at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, which happen every two years. The next CHOGM summit will be in Rwanda from June 21, 2021.
Edited by Henry Makori