Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie has been elected the Global President of the World Scout Parliamentary Union (WSPU).
His election took place during the 11th General Assembly of the Union held at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Kiarie was elected by the Executive Committee and pledged to champion the implementation of the resolutions adopted during the Assembly.
He acknowledged the immense responsibility ahead, noting the need for collaborative efforts to advance the Union’s mission.
In his acceptance speech, Kiarie said his leadership would focus on addressing global challenges in line with the Assembly’s theme on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Creative Economy, and Climate Action.
“I take office at a time of great global shakeups, a reality in the world today,” he said.
“But there is space for us scouts to leave our mark on the global footprint and make it better.”
He emphasized the vital role of scouting across all spheres of life.
“A lot is happening globally, but there is a place for scouting in government, institutions, religion, family, and society,” he said.
“We are called to lead. Today the world is crying out for critical thinkers to make informed decisions, and WSPU has a big role to play.”
Kiarie urged leaders to promote emotional intelligence as an essential skill for both children and adults.
“We are called upon as a generation to make emotional intelligence a basic need globally, and to bring back logic to problem-solving,” he said.
The new WSPU President identified lack of awareness and self-evaluation as key barriers to achieving shared global goals.
He cited the rising cases of femicide as an example of a challenge that could be addressed through enhanced problem-solving skills.
“We currently have a big epidemic of femicide in our society, yet the skill of problem-solving can help avert such situations,” he said.
Kiarie encouraged delegates to embrace their identities with pride and strengthen their sense of belonging.
“There is a great need to refocus and re-anchor ourselves to belonging, be proud of who we are, the families we come from, and the organizations we partner with,” he said.
He described patriotism as the foundation for addressing both local and global challenges.
“From all deliberations, there is a great need to refocus and anchor ourselves to belonging. That calls upon us to have the virtue of patriotism to face both local challenges and global disasters,” he added.
Expressing confidence in Africa’s growing leadership role, Kiarie said the continent is prepared to take its place on the global stage.
“It’s time for Africa. Africa is ready to take the mantle, and we shall be going out there to recruit more people to join our worthy cause,” he said.
