Sports CS Amina Mohammed stands to be one of the top voices as the Commonwealth Secretary-General if the plans by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson are anything to go by.
A report by the East African on Saturday, February 22, indicates that CS Mohammed was being considered by the UK Premier to take over the top job from the current Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
According to the reports, Scotland, who has been the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat, is due to stand re-election when member states meet in Kigali, Rwanda, in June 2020.
The UK media is reported to be touting Amina as the next candidate after Holland fell out of favour with countries such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, who have fingered her for unsound management and are threatening to cut crucial funding.
For this reason, the British premier is reported to have considered Amina for the top job without raising eyebrows from other quarters that the country was profiling Scotland.
“The UK will consider the field of candidates and support the one we believe will lead the Secretariat, and represent the Commonwealth most effectively.
“They (UK) do not want the label of pushing someone out because they are black and female, so they must find a high-profile black female…,” a diplomat in Nairobi told the publication.
The sentiments by the diplomat were echoed by the British High Commissioner in Kenya who indicated that the top leadership of the 54-member states, majority of whom are former British colonies, would meet to elect a new secretary-general.
“The UK will consider the field of candidates and support the one we believe will lead the Secretariat, and represent the Commonwealth, most effectively,” the spokesperson for the British High Commission was quoted.
Amina, however, is not expected to have smooth sailing to the top given that Scotland enjoys the support of the majority of the member countries, including those in Africa.
The UK, being well aware of the matter, is reported to be planning to use its powers to ensure that they get a candidate other than Scotland to the helm of the organization.
“Africans including Kenya support Scotland. That won’t change unless Baroness Scotland is no longer a candidate.
“But can they continue when they know she will lead an organisation that will struggle financially? Scotland is not inclined to step down but what kind of organisation does she want to lead? A broke and miserable one?” a highly placed official was quoted.
