Kenyan Ambassador to Berlin Transferred Before Arrival

Amb. Tom Amolo appointed as the new Ambassador to Germany replacing Amb. Lamarron ole Kaanto, who was transferred to Brazil.

In an unexpected move, President Kenyatta has transferred the Kenyan Ambassador to Germany, Lamarron ole Kaanto, to the mission in Brazil.

Amb. Lamarron ole Kaanto was appointed to the mission in Berlin in April 2019 and had not yet reported to take up the position at the time of the new appointment.

(READ: President Kenyatta Appoints a New Ambassador to Berlin)

This has been the longest in the recent past, the mission in Berlin has been left without an ambassador, after Amb. Magutt left in the summer. Even longer than the time Kenya threw a tantrum and “recalled” the ambassador to Nairobi for “official duties”.

(READ: Cold War Between the Kenyan and German Government)

In the same announcement made last week, Amb. Tom Amolo, the current Political And Diplomatic Secretary in The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, was appointed the new ambassador to Berlin. Amb. Tom Amolo, who is well known in the diplomatic circles has been in service since 1983 and has previously headed the Kenyan missions in Nigeria and South Africa and worked in the US.

Amb. Tom Amolo’s appointment in Berlin is a welcome change to the Kenyans served by this specific mission. It has been a long time since this mission was run by a career diplomat, with the previous three appointees being political appointments plucked out of universities with little to no knowledge of diplomacy.

Many Kenyans in Germany, Bulgaria and Romania will be looking forward to a return to the Embassy being run as a mission as it did during Kathurima’s time and less like a kanjo office.

Amb. Tom Amolo, who is active on Twitter (@amolosango) will hopefully be able to bring the embassy in Berlin to the 21st century and inject some diplomacy/ friendliness. We hope he does not disappoint.

In the meantime, Karibu Jahmani, Balozi!

Below is a video of Amb. Amolo at the German Unity Day celebrations in Nairobi earlier this month.

(Did he just say, meine Damen und H#ren? ??? This is going to be fun.)

30th Anniversary of Germany's Reunification

To mark our Day of Germany Unity, our National Day, in times of Covid, we had a very small reception this year instead of the usual big party. Ambassador Tom Amolo was the Kenyan guest of honour. Watch with us the two short speeches to celebrate our special National Day 30 years after Germany was reunified in 1990!

Gepostet von German Embassy Nairobi am Freitag, 2. Oktober 2020