Former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has landed a top job at a global wildlife conservation charity just days after missing out on a slot in President William Ruto's government.
The international wildlife conservation charity, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) announced the appointment of Najib Balala, EGH, as a new vice-president at the UK-based organization.
As the Tourism CS, Balala was instrumental in boosting tourism growth and stability in Kenya and in the African regional tourism sector.
His illustrious political career started in the 1998 when he was elected as the Mayor of the Mombasa City Council before being elected as Mvita MP in the 2002 general elections.
While serving as the Tourism CS, Balala was responsible for the development, launch and implementation of the National Wildlife Strategy 2030 in 2018, a roadmap for transforming wildlife conservation in Kenya, and also launched and implemented the Wildlife Policy 2021.
He has worked with the private sector, investors and international celebrities such as Naomi Campbell to promote tourism and wildlife conservation across the country and in East Africa.
Balala was one of the CSs in the Uhuru government who were poised to secure positions in the Ruto government considering his silence and focus on work during the 2022 campaign season when his colleagues were actively campaigning for the Azimio One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate.
Furthermore, Balala was the first CS in the Uhuru government to send out a congratulatory message to Ruto and Gachagua even before the Supreme Court had heard and made a determination on the presidential petition lodged in court by Raila.
However, President Ruto picked Peninah Malonza to replace Balala as the Tourism CS thus leaving the veteran politician out in the cold.
As FFI’s vice-president, Balala will use his experience in wildlife conservation and tourism to support the charity with the future development of its work and partnerships globally.
Balala joins 37 other VPs at IFF and is the only Kenyan to hold such a powerful position at the global organization.
