Saboti MP calls on Ruto to back Mukhisa Kituyi for UN Secretary-General post in 2026
As the race for the next United Nations Secretary-General begins to take shape, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi is calling on President William Ruto to throw the country’s support behind one of its own – Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi.
Amisi made a public appeal on Monday, February 17, 2025, urging Ruto’s administration to allocate resources and provide diplomatic backing for Kituyi’s potential candidacy when the position becomes vacant on December 31, 2026.
“The position of the Secretary General for United Nations falls vacant on 31st December 2026. I hereby propose Dr. MUKHISA KITUYI as Kenyan candidate. Please Ruto ,this one accord him resouces ,the much needed state support and leave him to sell himself. We must redeem Kenyan image at the international arena. UN needs a renaissance!” Amisi wrote in a post on X.
The last UN Secretary-General from sub-Saharan Africa was Kofi Annan of Ghana, who served from 1997 to 2006.
Amisi’s plea comes as Africa seeks stronger representation in global institutions, with calls growing louder for the continent to have at least two performant seats at the UN Security Council.
The United Nations Security Council is a body of 15 members that is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It is the most powerful body of the United Nations.
The Security Council has five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 10 non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms
Kituyi at UN
Kituyi, an economist and former trade minister, has long been a figure in global diplomacy.
He served as Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) from 2013 to 2021, making him one of the most prominent Kenyan faces in international governance.
His tenure at UNCTAD was marked by advocacy for fair trade policies and economic development initiatives tailored for the Global South.
While Kituyi has not publicly declared his interest in the role, Amisi’s appeal underscores a broader conversation about Kenya’s positioning in global leadership.
The decision to formally nominate a candidate for UN Secretary-General rests with individual member states, and strong political backing is often crucial to a successful bid.
Kenya’s diplomacy suffered a significant setback with Raila Odinga’s defeat in the African Union Commission (AUC) elections on February 15, 2025.
Raila’s loss marked a major blow to Kenya’s diplomatic standing. The veteran politician was narrowly beaten by Djibouti’s candidate, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, in a fiercely contested vote in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
With this defeat at the AU, Kenya now faces an even steeper challenge in its efforts to present Mukhisa Kituyi as a candidate for the UN Secretary-General position.
The process of selecting a Secretary-General is multilayered, with candidates requiring endorsements from their home governments before undergoing scrutiny by the UN Security Council, where the five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—hold veto power. The final selection is ratified by the General Assembly.
Kituyi’s potential candidacy could place Kenya in an interesting diplomatic balancing act, as the country seeks to strengthen its global influence while navigating regional and geopolitical interests.
Kenya has played an active role in international peacekeeping and mediation efforts, recently positioning itself as a key player in African diplomacy through its engagements in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Haiti.
However, securing the UN’s top job would require significant diplomatic manoeuvring and coalition-building, particularly within the African Union and among influential UN member states. It remains unclear whether President Ruto will heed Amisi’s call and formally endorse Kituyi for the role.
For now, Amisi’s statement has ignited discussions on Kenya’s ambitions in international governance, and whether one of its own can make history by becoming the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Author
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works - a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
View all posts by Martin Oduor
