End of political rewards? Fresh rules proposed for Ambassadorial jobs

Political connections may no longer be enough to secure ambassadorial and other diplomatic positions if Parliament adopts proposed reforms seeking to impose strict professional standards on Kenya's foreign missions.

Former ambassadors and other stakeholders want the government to prioritise experience, integrity and specialised training, warning that rewarding political allies with diplomatic postings has weakened the country's representation and delivery of foreign policy abroad.

The stakeholders are pushing for a system that limits appointments of individuals without a background in diplomacy while giving experienced career officers a greater share of senior positions.

Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, the Association of Former and Retired Ambassadors and other stakeholders called for urgent changes to the existing appointment framework.

The committee, chaired by Nelson Koech, is collecting public views on the Foreign Service (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which is intended to improve professionalism in Kenya's diplomatic service.

Among the proposed changes is an amendment to Section 20 of the Foreign Service Act to ensure that career diplomats occupy 70 per cent of positions in foreign missions.

Sponsored by Mwingi West MP Charles Nguna, the Bill also proposes that the positions of high commissioners, ambassadors and diplomatic or consular representatives be classified as State offices in accordance with Article 260 of the Constitution.

The former envoys said the practice of appointing individuals based on political loyalty rather than professional qualifications had weakened the country's ability to advance its interests internationally.

They argued that foreign policy is too important to be left in the hands of people who have not received the necessary preparation to handle diplomatic responsibilities.

"A nation's foreign policy is its primary shield and sword in an increasingly volatile global environment. Codifying a legal limit balances legitimate executive political prerogatives with the imperative of merit-oriented institutional continuity," the diplomats told the Nelson Koech-led committee.

They further cautioned that politically appointed officials without diplomatic experience often require extended periods of training and orientation before understanding the demands of their assignments.

According to the stakeholders, inadequate preparation can lead to mistakes in diplomatic protocol and official engagements, potentially damaging Kenya's relationships with other nations.

"Unregulated political allocation converts overseas missions into dumping grounds for unvetted political actors, leading to systematic institutional decay," the retired diplomats said.

To prevent what they described as the misuse of diplomatic appointments, the former ambassadors want Parliament to establish specific professional requirements for officers considered for senior positions.

They have proposed that a career diplomat must have accumulated at least 15 years of continuous service as a Foreign Service Officer to qualify for consideration.

The stakeholders also want the law to require candidates to have attained at least the rank of minister counsellor before being considered for senior diplomatic assignments.

Beyond experience and rank, they want diplomatic appointments to take into account competence, integrity and merit, alongside compulsory preparation in foreign relations etiquette, foreign policy research, languages and diplomacy.

The proposed measures are aimed at ensuring that people entrusted with representing Kenya abroad understand international relations and can effectively communicate and defend the country's interests.

The committee is considering the recommendations alongside other views from stakeholders as it examines the proposed changes to the Foreign Service Act.