Kenya Diaspora Alliance, USA has come to the defence of Kenya ambassador to South Korea Ms Mwende Mwinzi.
Mwende, who holds dual citizenship, both Kenya and USA, has been accused of being non-Kenyan and therefore unfit to hold office.
Below is the full statement from KDA.
Statement on attacks on the Rights of Kenyans in the Diaspora by the National Assembly
The Kenya Diaspora Alliance-USA is deeply concerned at attempts to undermine the dual citizenship rights of Kenyans in the Diaspora as espoused in the Constitution of Kenya and the Constitutive Act of the African Union. These attempts have been recently manifested in the attacks against Kenya’s Ambassador to South Korea, Mwende Mwinzi.
Ambassador Mwinzi, a dual citizen who had an excellent performance in the ambassadorial vetting process, has already won a court case that determined that the law does not require her to give up her US citizenship in order to take up the ambassadorial appointment. Yet, the National Assembly seems determined to pressure the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to recall the envoy.
We urge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify their position on this issue. Ambassador Mwinzi should be judged by the work she does and how the Seoul Embassy builds Kenya’s reputation and credibility across Asia and the Pacific. The issue of Ambassador Mwinzi touches on the rights of millions of Kenyans with dual citizenship, some of whom continue to be victimized over their status, as exemplified by the illegal deportation of Dr. Miguna Miguna and the violation of his rights, despite several Court orders.
The government and people of Kenya should embrace our intellectual contributions with the same vigor that they do the 341 billion we send to the country every year. We are the backbone of the Kenyan economy. We are the safety net of many families in the absence of a national economic response plan especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. One diplomatic position for one of us, who is highly qualified and committed to her country, is not too much to ask for.
We demand that the National Assembly stops its baseless attacks on Ambassador Mwinzi and instead focuses on legislation to improve the socio-economic lives of millions of Kenyans. Kenyans in the USA stand with Ambassador Mwinzi as she continues to navigate this difficult path.
Washington, DC
15th March 2021
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