Kenya’s quiet envoy shuffle: After DRC snub, Ruto’s appointee lands in Accra
The Tshisekedi administration refused to accept Amadi's credentials in what Congolese insiders say was a diplomatic cold shoulder provoked by Ruto's outspoken remarks on the war in eastern Congo, seen by many in Kinshasa as pro-Rwanda.
After a year-long diplomatic freeze, Kenya's envoy, Shem Amadi, has finally found footing—this time in Accra.
A former air force officer and little-known political appointee, Amadi was initially dispatched to Kinshasa in December 2023 as President William Ruto's pick for Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). But the appointment quickly soured.
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The Tshisekedi administration refused to accept Amadi's credentials in what Congolese insiders say was a diplomatic cold shoulder provoked by Ruto's outspoken remarks on the war in eastern Congo, seen by many in Kinshasa as pro-Rwanda.
Kenya's embassy in Kinshasa has since borne the brunt of public fury, with Congolese protesters staging demonstrations accusing Nairobi of siding with Rwanda.
In March 2025, Ruto was forced to name a new envoy, former Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum, but Kinshasa has yet to formally accredit him.
Amadi, sidelined but not discarded, has resurfaced in West Africa.
On July 25, he presented his open letters to Ghana's Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and will soon begin his tenure as Kenya's High Commissioner to Ghana.
According to the Kenyan mission in Accra, this marks the official start of Amadi's diplomatic chapter, albeit far from the turbulence of the Great Lakes. His appointment ends an awkward stalemate.
The Ghana post had previously been turned down by two high-profile figures: ex-ICT Cabinet Secretary Margaret Nyambura Ndung'u and former West Mugirango MP Vincent Kemosi Mogaka.
Ndung'u, removed in a cabinet reshuffle earlier this year, cited her rejection in a formal letter to parliament, viewing the posting as a demotion from her cabinet status.
Mogaka, on the other hand, said he was never consulted, raising questions about transparency in Kenya's diplomatic appointments.
Their refusals exposed a deeper discontent among political appointees, many of whom see certain foreign missions as lacking prestige or relevance.
Accra, despite Ghana's rising profile in West Africa, is perceived by some in Nairobi's political circles as lower-tier, compared to heavyweight posts like Washington, London, or Addis Ababa.
Still, Amadi's redeployment offers a glimpse into the quiet pragmatism of Kenya's foreign policy machinery, moving its pieces across the board even after diplomatic setbacks.
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