EAC terminates appointment of Peter Mathuki as Secretary-General

The East African Community (EAC) ministers have recommended the removal of Peter Mathuki, a Kenyan national as the bloc's boss and appointed Annette Ssemuwemba, Mathuki's deputy in charge of Customs, Trade, and Monetary Affairs, to serve as acting secretary general.

Veronica Mueni Nduva is slated to take over from Mathuki pending summit approval.

"...recommended to the Summit to take note of the withdrawal of Peter Mathuki as Secretary General of the East African Community and to terminate his appointment as Secretary General...," read an internal memo on the outcomes of the Tuesday meeting.

The memo added, "...decided that the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs, Annette Ssemuwemba shall perform the duties of the Secretary-General in accordance with Article 68(3) of the Treaty with effect from April 16, 2024, until the appointment and assumption of duty by the new Secretary-General."

This decision follows Kenya's President William Ruto's nomination of Mathuki as the country's envoy to Moscow.

"The Council of Ministers of the East African Community received the nomination of Veronica Mueni Nduva as the new Secretary General of the East African Community. In the meantime, Deputy Secretary General Annette Mutaawe Ssemuwemba, will hold fort until the summit meets," posted Ugandan EAC minister Rebecca Kadaga on the X platform.

Deputy Secretary General in charge of Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs, Annette Ssemuwemba shall assume the role of acting EAC Secretary-General. (Photo: EAC)

This effectively marked the end of Peter Mathuki's tenure as the bloc boss, ensuring there was no power vacuum in Arusha.

Nairobi on Monday evening dropped Caroline Mwende Mueke as Kenya's nominee for the East African Community Secretary-General.

The President replaced Mwende with Veronica Mueni Nduva, who currently serves as a principal secretary in the State Department for Performance and Delivery Management within the Ministry of Public Service.

Ruto initially nominated Mueke on March 15, 2024, to succeed Peter Mathuki, who was vetted and approved by the Kenyan parliament for the ambassadorial role in Moscow, Russia.

The chairperson of the bloc's minister's council is anticipated to announce by Friday, April 19, the date for the regional leaders' meeting to officially approve Nduva's nomination as the new boss.

Kenya has only one and a half years remaining until Nduva if approved, serves in the role.