Meg Whitman resigns as US Ambassador to Kenya
United States Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman.
What you need to know:
- The embassy will now be under the leadership of Chargé d'Affaires Marc Dillard.
US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman resigned on Wednesday, coming a week after the stunning comeback of Donald Trump to the White House, and sustained calls from angry Kenyans for her to quit.
Ms Whitman, an American billionaire who became only the second female American ambassador to Kenya, said she had tendered her resignation to outgoing US President Joe Biden.
The embassy will now be under the leadership of Chargé d'Affaires Marc Dillard.
In a press statement, Ms Whitman highlighted her achievements in the position, citing the various trade, health and security deals that Kenya signed with the USA such as the elevation of Kenya as its first major Non-NATO ally in sub-Saharan Africa.
“I am proud of leading a people-centred agenda that saves lives, increases security, and creates economic opportunities for Kenyans and Americans. From delivering emergency funding to alleviate catastrophic flooding in 2023 to the ongoing fight against malaria, HIV, and MPOX, the US government prioritises the health and welfare of our friends in Kenya,” Ms Whitman said in a statement.
Ms Whitman, a former Wall Street chief executive, had arrived in Kenya just as Nairobi prepared for elections in which William Ruto won to become the fifth President in 2022.
She had replaced Kyle McCarter, an appointee of Donald Trump’s first term who had quit earlier in 2021 after Joe Biden replaced Trump. Both were political appointees, not mainstream diplomats.
By November 2024, Whitman had about a year left on her tenure, going by the American tradition of sending envoys to stations for three years, with rare exceptions of extensions.
