This archive report was first published on 19 November 2021.
On November 19, 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed a new law that bars people holding dual citizenship from serving in the foreign service.
The law, sponsored by the Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations of Kenya's National Assembly, aims to professionalize diplomatic service and make it accountable.
According to the law, heads of missions abroad or consuls-general must not hold dual or multiple nationalities.
Ambassadors, special envoys, consular officials, and honorary-consuls will constitute the foreign service, which will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary.
Heads of missions will be appointed from a pool of career diplomats with over 10 years of experience or other professionals with a similar duration of experience in public affairs.
The new law comes after controversy arose in 2019 when a dual national, Mwende Mwinzi, was nominated to be Ambassador to South Korea. The National Assembly approved her nomination but imposed a caveat that she could not report to duty until she renounced her American citizenship.
Ms Mwinzi then went to court, which ruled that she could not renounce either of her citizenship as it was acquired by birth. However, the High Court said ambassadorial positions were sensitive national assignments, and Ms Mwinzi has since been appointed ambassador to South Korea.
The Kenya Diaspora Alliance-USA has expressed its concern with the law, saying it is an attempt to undermine the dual citizenship of Kenyans in the diaspora and the constitutive Act of the African Union.
