In a surprising turn of events, Kenyan President William Ruto has replaced Caroline Mwende Mueke with Veronica Mueni Nduva for the position of East African Community (EAC) Secretary General.
Mwende was previously nominated for the role after Peter Mathuki’s appointment as Kenyan ambassador to Russia. She was reportedly set to be sworn in this week.
On April 15, 2024, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for EAC Affairs, Peninah Malonza, penned a letter to Deng Alor Kuol, South Sudan’s Minister for EAC Affairs and current chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers.
In the letter, Malonza announced President William Ruto’s decision to nominate a different candidate for the position of Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), without providing any specific reasons for the change.
“Further to our letter of 15 March informing you of a presidential action nominating Ms Mwende for appointment as the new Secretary General by the Summit in accordance with the EAC Treaty, we are writing to inform you that the President of Kenya has amended the nomination of Ms Mwende for the position of EAC Secretary General,” said Malonza.
This development unfolded just a day prior to the Council’s scheduled discussions regarding the replacement of the outgoing EAC Secretary
The reasons behind this last-minute change remain unclear.
The EAC Secretary General serves as the principal spokesperson for the East African region, overseeing communication and policy implementation across member states. Kenya was required to fill the position following Mathuki’s departure.
During his tenure, Mathuki is credited with strengthening the EAC Secretariat, expanding the Community with the addition of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and fostering peace efforts within the region. He previously served as CEO of the East African Business Council.
