The closely-guarded list of 25 new ambassadors is no longer secret.

Saturday Nation can reveal the identities of the envoys whose appointments have been kept under wraps over the past two weeks.

The appointees have been undergoing training in Nairobi and Mombasa, where journalists have been kept away.

Mystery surrounded the appointment of the new envoys, who replace those recalled earlier this month, as reports emerged that they had not been cleared by the National Security Intelligence Service.

Vetting by the intelligence agency is mandatory before top government positions such as ambassadors and high commissioners are filled.

Among those appointed are Dr Josephine Ojiambo (deputy resident representative, New York), Mr Benson Ogutu (Tokyo), Ms Monica Juma (AU headquarters in Addis Ababa), Mr Ken Osinde (Berlin, Germany), Mr Kipyego Cheluget (Lusaka, Zambia), Mr Paul Kibiwott Kurgat (Moscow, Russia), Mr Mohamed Ali Saleh (Riyadh), Mr Galma Boru (Doha), Mr Rashid Ali (Tehran), Ms Josephine Gaita (Rome, Italy), Mr Peter Kirimi Kaberia (Brazil), Mr Elkanah Odembo (Washington DC, US), Mr Anthony Andanje (deputy resident representative, Geneva), Ms Josephine Awuor (Harare), Ms Jean Kimani (Great Lakes), Mr Dave Arunga (Cairo), Ms Salma Ahmed (Paris), Mr Samori Angwa Okwiya (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Mr Bramwel Kisuya (Madrid), Lt Gen Augustino S.K. Njoroge (Tel Aviv), Mr Peter Gitau (Windhoek), Ms Makena Muchiri (Kigali), Mr James Ochami (Kinshasa), Mr Cleland Leshore (Juba, Southern Sudan) and Mr Anthony Muchiri (Tripoli).

On Friday, Nation traced the envoys to Neptune Beach Hotel and Resort in Mombasa where they were moved from Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nairobi, but a manager there said that they had strict instructions not to allow journalists in.

Sources who talked to Saturday Nation on condition that they are not named said Foreign Affairs assistant minister Richard Onyonka was supposed to close the training course on Friday evening.

Contacted, Mr Onyonka said he was in Mombasa but would not divulge his mission.

Early this year, the government recalled 14 envoys and more than 100 junior staffers without giving reasons from Russia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Zambia and the United States among others.

Those recalled include Joseph Muchemi (UK), Dr Sospeter Machage (Russia), Mr Mutuma Kathurima (Germany), Mr Rateng Oginga Ogego (US) and Ms Ann Nyikuli (Italy). Others are Mr Mwakai Kikonde Sio (Spain) and Mr Lazarus Amayo (Zambia) in what Mr Onyonka described then as a normal.

"Its a normal requirement after end of duty. The ministry has no problems with any of them," Mr Onyonka was quoted.

The ambassadors and high commissioners who have been recalled are expected back by May 2 while the junior staff, who include education attaches and accountants are expected to return by June.

On Friday, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua, described reports of new ambassadors as rumours.

"Those are rumours and the government cannot comment on rumours. Whenever there are appointments, the government always makes an announcement," he said.

However, Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula confirmed earlier this week that the government was replacing ambassadors and high commissioners.

Elkanah Odembos Biography

Odembo, appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to France in January 2009, is the founding director of Ufadhili Trust (Centre for Philanthropy and Social Responsibility), a Kenyan institution that seeks to promote the spirit of giving, philanthropy and the use of local resources to improve peoples lives through corporate social responsibility, cross-sector partnership, technical assistance and policy research.

Prior to joining Ufadhili, Odembo served as a consultant to the Ford Foundations Coordinator of Africa Philanthropy Initiative; the East Africa Representative for World Neighbors; and as Research Officer for the African Medical Research Foundation. He was also Chairman of the Kenya Community Development Foundation, lead facilitator for the Kenya Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Consultation Process and a member of the selection committee for the UNDP Africa 2000 Project. He was also a founding member of the NGO Coalition for East Africa, a member of the National Advisory Committee for Health Research, a member of the NGO Co-ordination Board of Kenya, Chairperson of the Kenya National Council of Non-Governmental Organizations and member of the National Committee for Social Dimensions of Development.

Odembo is a Senior Fellow at the Synergos Institute, a non-profit organization based in New York with a mission of reducing global poverty through partnerships that bring together government, business, civil society and local communities. He is also a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative, a program of the Aspen Institutes Global Leadership Network.

A biology major and a member of the soccer team, Odembo was awarded the Andrew A. Haldane Cup at Commencement as the member of the senior class with "outstanding qualities of leadership and character."

He also served as co-chair of the Foreign Students Association and was awarded an OBrien Graduate Scholarship to pursue advanced studies in public health.

After earning his master of public health degree at the University of Texas, Odembo initially returned to Nairobi to work in the Community Health Division of the African Medical Research Foundation.

Odembo lives in Paris, France, with his wife Aoko Midiwo-Odembo. The couple has two children.