KENYA: Kenya gets first Somali woman as foreign minister

Nairobi (SDN)– Kenya’s newly elected President Uhuru Kenyatta has unveiled the first four ministers out of the 18 members of his Cabinet late on Tuesday getting the first Somali ethnic woman as foreign minister, RBC Radio reports.

Amina Jibril Mohamed, from the northeastern region is appointed as the next Kenyan foreign minister during a ceremony at the state house in Nairobi on Tuesday.  She is also the first woman to lead Kenya’s foreign mission.

Ms Mohamed was the Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Director General for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). She has also served as the Kenyan ambassador to the UN’s headquarter in Geneva.

According to local media, Amina has been one of the front-runners for the top World Trade Organization.

The other three ministers are Fred Matiang’i as the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology,  James Wainaina Macharia as the Health Minister and Henry K. Rotich as the National Treasury.

The appointment of Amina Mohamed followed the recent presidential election in Kenya which Mr Kenyatta has won.  Somalis in Kenya were the most who voted in favor for Uhuru and analysts were expecting such top position for Somali ethnics on Kenya.

Meanwhile Kenya has sent its troops into Somalia to pursue Al Shabab group as the country hosts more than 60,000 refugees from Somalia since 1991 after the collapse of firmer Somalia central government.

The new government of Somalia which lauded the victory of Uhuru Kenyatta now expects new ties with the its neighbor.