MPs grill Catherine Kirumba Karemu, Kenya’s envoy nominee to London

Catherine Kirumba Karemu, Kenya’s nominee for the High Commissioner post in London, faced rigorous vetting by members of Parliament on Thursday morning.

Kirumba, a commerce graduate from Kenyatta University, is the widow of Wahome Gakuru, who served as the third governor of Nyeri County

Yusuf Hassan, the Kamukunji legislator and a high-ranking member of the powerful defence, intelligence and foreign relations committee, raised concerns about the nominee’s lack of diplomatic experience.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan questions Catherine Kirumba Karemu during her vetting at Parliament on April 4, 2024, for the position of Kenyan high commissioner to the UK. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

In response, she highlighted her past roles as a consultant for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Deloitte, where she focused on building relations.

She expressed confidence that her competencies would enable her to strengthen relations between Nairobi and London.

One of the prominently discussed issues was the murder of 21-year-old Kenyan Agnes Wanjiru at the hands of British soldiers at the Lions Court Hotel on the outskirts of Nanyuki town in Central Kenya in 2012.

Despite prolonged delays to justice, the victim’s family continues to seek answers, including the extradition of the known soldiers who committed the crime.

The nominee was also questioned by Kajiado MP Kanchory Memusi, a member of the influential committee, on the steps she will take to ensure justice is finally served, considering her predecessor's failure to address the matter.

She acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue and noted that ongoing discussions were in progress.

Kirumba pledged to continue the efforts of her predecessor and address the matter accordingly if approved for the High Commissioner role.

She was also questioned about the unresolved issue of Mau Mau's compensation, emphasising in her response the ongoing discussions and her commitment to respect boundaries.

Additionally, the Kamukunji MP raised concerns about the tedious visa issuance process for Kenyan citizens wishing to travel to the UK and asked about measures to ensure reciprocity.

In response, the nominee stated her intention to advocate for reduced bureaucracy to promote equal relations between the two countries.

She is worth Sh250 million.