Alfred Mutua Named Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora

President Ruto has appointed former Machakos Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua as the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora.

Mutua, who served as the governor for Machakos for two terms, takes over from Raychelle Omamo, who has been in charge of the Foreign Office since 2020.

He previously served as the Government Spokesperson in President Kibaki’s administration. Mutua also doubled up as the Public Communications Secretary and Head of the Office of Public Communications in the Office of the President.

During his inauguration, President Ruto pledged to create the Ministry of Diaspora to specifically address issues affecting Kenyans living and working abroad.

“We have elevated our diaspora to be the 48th County. The complaint has been that the diaspora has not received the attention they deserve. The focus has been on remittances, while their fundamental rights as citizens have been neglected. To correct this oversight, I pledge to elevate diaspora issues at a ministry level,” Ruto said.

The president also said his government will strengthen diaspora services in all embassies and set up a mechanism for public participation by the Kenyans living abroad. His administration will also work with Parliament to set up a committee that will exclusively deal with diaspora issues.

He further pledged to work with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure Kenyans living in the diaspora have greater participation in future elections.