Why I quit my ambassador job - Meg Whitman

Former United States Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, has disclosed the reasons behind her recent resignation from the role.

Whitman submitted her resignation to President Joe Biden on November 13, 2024, days after Donald Trump was elected as the 47th President of the United States.

While announcing her resignation, she cited various achievements she has accomplished since being picked for the role in August 2022, adding that it was an honour to serve the people of America through strengthening relations with Kenya.

However, her resignation prompted criticism and curiosity, with many questioning why she stepped down just days after Trump’s victory.

In an interview with Sunday Nation, Whitman explained that her departure was influenced by the impending transition in White House leadership following Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election.

She stated that she wanted to prioritise her family’s return to the United States ahead of the new administration taking office.

“New presidents and new administrations typically expect ambassadors to submit their letters of resignation. I chose to do it now because we have three young grandchildren. My husband has a job in the U.S., and we need to get back and get settled. The embassy is in very good hands with Charge d’Affaires Marc Dillard,” Whitman said.

"Smooth transition"

She emphasised that her decision was not influenced by criticism but was instead part of a smooth transition to the new U.S. administration.

“I’ve been in politics for a long time, so I understand how this works. This is about the peaceful transfer of power, a new administration, and an entirely new set of ambassadors,” she added.

During her two-year tenure, the 68-year-old highlighted key achievements in enhancing bilateral relations between Kenya and the U.S., including significant progress in visa processing and promoting tourism.

“My number one priority was visas. Every Kenyan was saying it was taking two years to get an interview for a visa. That has been reduced to two months for non-immigrant visas, which is fantastic,” she said.

Whitman also credited her term with facilitating investments from major U.S. corporations like Coca-Cola and Microsoft, a development she linked to Kenyan President William Ruto’s state visit to the U.S. in May 2024.

Despite the successes, Whitman warned that corruption remains a significant obstacle to Kenya’s development aspirations.

“I’ve been speaking a lot about corruption in the last four or five months. Kenya has an incredible opportunity to be an economic powerhouse on the continent, to be the Singapore of Africa,” she said.

She reiterated that she now plans to focus on her family’s transition back to the U.S. and support her husband in his career.

“I’ll get back to the United States and help my husband settle into his new job. We’ve been trading off our careers throughout 44 years of marriage, and now it’s his turn. After that, I’ll decide on my next steps,” she said.

Whitman, who arrived in Kenya in August 2022 just before the General Election, navigated a challenging diplomatic term. Her comments during the 2023 Devolution Conference, where she praised Kenya’s 2022 elections as the most credible in its history, drew criticism from opposition leader Raila Odinga, who labelled her “rogue” and advised her to stay out of Kenya’s internal affairs.

Despite early controversies, she developed a strong relationship with President Ruto and worked to bolster U.S.-Kenya ties, leaving behind a mixed but impactful legacy.