In a historic move, the East African Community (EAC) has appointed Veronica Mueni Nduva as the first woman to serve as its Secretary-General.
This appointment comes after the recall of Dr Peter Mathuki, who had been serving in the role since 2021. The decision was made during an extraordinary summit of the EAC heads of state on Friday, July 7, where leaders discussed the future direction of the regional bloc amid ongoing challenges.
Nduva, who was nominated by President William Ruto, previously held the position of Principal Secretary for the State Department for Performance and Delivery Management in the Ministry of Public Service.
The position of Secretary-General has become highly contentious within the East African Community (EAC) over the past decade, as Peter Mathuki departs from the role.
Intense scrutiny by the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) into the activities and responsibilities of the Secretary-General's office, coupled with the demands of an expanded regional bloc, has highlighted significant weaknesses in the governance structure of the EAC Secretariat.
Veronica Mueni Nduva becomes the sixth Secretary-General of the EAC. Since 2000, five Secretaries-General have been appointed by the respective heads of state.
The tenures of outgoing Secretary-General Dr Mathuki (Kenya) and his predecessor Liberat Mfumukeko (Burundi) stand in contrast to those of Francis Muthaura (Kenya), the EAC's first chief executive, and his successors Juma Mwapachu (Tanzania), Amanya Mushega (Uganda), and Dr Richard Sezibera (Rwanda).
The summit also addressed the recent changes in Kenya's foreign service, with Dr Mathuki being nominated as Kenya's ambassador to Russia. This reshuffling of key positions points to President Ruto's strategic approach to strengthening Kenya's diplomatic presence globally while ensuring robust leadership within the EAC.
A significant agenda item during the summit was the controversy surrounding the appointment of Zablon Muruka Mokua to the East African Court of Justice (EACJ).
Kenya's High Court had blocked Mokua's appointment following a challenge by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), which questioned his qualifications. The heads of state deliberated on the implications of this legal challenge and explored potential solutions to uphold the integrity of the EACJ.
The regional bloc is also grappling with a severe funding crisis, which has hindered many of its programmes. The EAC is facing a shortfall of approximately $40 million (about Ksh5.2 billion) due to non-remittance of dues by partner states. Kenya stands out as the only member country that has fully met its financial obligations to the bloc.
This financial strain has led to stalled projects and has prompted urgent discussions on sustainable funding mechanisms for the EAC's future operations.
In her farewell message as Principal Secretary, Nduva expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve Kenya, stating, "To have been accorded the honour and opportunity to do so between 2022-2024 as one of the 51 Principal Secretaries in a country of over 50 million is indeed a chance of one in a million. It has been humbling to serve the great nation of Kenya."
