The Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations has been granted up to 28 days to vet and consider the nomination of Dr Ida Odinga for approval as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula directed the committee to immediately begin the approval process, notify both the nominee and the public of the hearing dates, conduct comprehensive vetting including possible interviews and public participation and table its report with recommendations before the House within the stipulated timeframe.
The referral follows President William Ruto’s nomination of Mama Ida in January 2026 to head Kenya’s diplomatic mission to UNEP, the UN’s environmental agency headquartered in Nairobi.
If approved, she will replace Ababu Namwamba, who was recently reassigned as Kenya’s Ambassador to Uganda.
In the same communication, Speaker Wetang’ula also referred the nomination of Francis Meja as Chairperson of the Public Service Commission to the Committee on Labour.
His vetting will be conducted within 14 days as required under the Public Service Commission Act.
However, the 28-day timeline applies to senior diplomatic appointments such as the UNEP role, where the Foreign Service Act does not provide specific timelines, thereby defaulting to provisions under the Public Appointments Act.
The Defence and Foreign Relations Committee is expected to assess Mama Ida’s academic credentials, professional track record, integrity and overall suitability to advance Kenya’s interests in global environmental diplomacy, multilateral frameworks and climate negotiations.
The process could include public hearings before the House debates and votes on the committee’s recommendations — potentially by mid-March 2026 if the timelines are adhered to.
Upon accepting the nomination, Mama Ida described the appointment as “an honour” and “a moment of service and gratitude,” reaffirming her commitment to environmental advocacy and community leadership.
