Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has said he does not consider his nomination as the Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations Environmental Programme a demotion.
Ababu said he sees his new role as a reassignment and not a reduction of rank or status.
“Would I consider having been handed an assignment to represent Kenya at that space a demotion? No. I would consider it a reassignment to a different role, a different responsibility,” he said.
Ababu made the remarks on Friday when he appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations.
The committee is conducting approval hearings for persons nominated as ambassadors, high commissioners, and diplomatic and consular representatives.
The ex-CS assured MPs that he will execute his role as expected by President William Ruto.
“I believe I am tailor-made for this position given my intellectual capacity and my exposure. I believe this is a role that I would execute very well,” he stated.
“I will not require extra motivation because of what I believe the UN to be to the world and the country.”
Ababu also revealed that the President invited him for a talk before naming him to the position.
“I consider it to be honourable and respectful that the President invited me to a sitting to discuss this responsibility before it was made public. I know exactly what he expects of me in this because he explained it to me,” he said.
He added that he knows where the position ranks in the President’s agenda.
Ababu promised lawmakers that he effectively execute his job given the opportunity.
Ababu served as a Sports CS before the anti-government protests by Gen Z piled pressure on the Head of State to dismiss his Cabinet.
Following the inclusion of members of the opposition in the new Cabinet, he was among the CSs that were left out.
He was nominated to ambassadorial positions alongside three others.
Former CS for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Margret Nyambura Ndun'gu was named the High Commissioner in Ghana.
Getrude Angote was nominated to the High Commission in Zimbabwe.
Angote is currently serving as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Andrew Karanja, who previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, was nominated as Kenya's Ambassador to Brazil.
