Former Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Margaret Ndung'u has reportedly declined President William Ruto's ambassadorial nomination.
The CS, in a letter to the Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Relations on Thursday, January 9, declined her nomination for the High Commissioner job in Ghana, attributing it to personal reasons.
On December 19, last year, Ndung'u was displaced as ICT CS after serving for only three months with William Kabogo named as her replacement.
It was after her demotion from the CS position that the Head of State nominated her for the high commissioner role alongside other former government officials.
"Pursuant to Section 16 of the Public Appointment, Parliamentary Approval Act 3 of 2011, I wish to inform you that I will not appear before the said committee a the time and venue specified for the approval hearing," Ndung'u wrote.
President Ruto nominated her for the said job alongside former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba who was nominated as permanent representative of Kenya to the United Nations Environment Programme.
Others who were nominated for various ambassadorial roles included Dorothy Angote who was nominated for the High Commissioner job in Zimbabwe and Andrew Karanja who was nominated as Kenyan ambassador in Brazil.
Following her controversial decision, Ndung'u becomes the second senior official to decline the president's nomination after former West Mugirango Member of Parliament Vincent Mogaka.
In April, Mogaka rejected Ruto's nomination for the position of Kenya's High Commissioner to Ghana citing family issues as the main reason for his decision.
In a letter to the clerk of the National Assembly, Mogaka, however, commended the Head of State for the opportunity, adding that his decision would allow even more time in vetting other nominees.
"I want to give my appreciation for the invitation to appear before the Departmental Committee on Defence Intelligence and Foreign Relations, I wish to inform you that I will not appear before the said Committee for approval," his letter read in parliament.
"This has been occasioned by my personal and compelling family matters which after taking into consideration will not allow me to take up the position of High Commissioner to Ghana."
