President Ruto receives credentials of six new envoys

President William Ruto on Wednesday received the credentials of six new envoys to Kenya at State House, Nairobi.

The new diplomats are Chiranjib Sarker of Bangladesh, retired Lt. General Peter Kakowou Lavahun (Sierra Leone), Ernest Rwamucyo (Rwanda), Anthony Louis Kon (South Sudan), Kan Yaw Kiong (Singapore), and Erika Álvarez Rodríguez (Dominican Republic).

Ambassador Sarker served as Deputy High Commissioner to India before his promotion. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Dhaka University.

Lieutenant-General Lavahun will be Sierra Leone’s third High Commissioner to Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Nairobi, the UN Environmental Programme, and the UN-Habitat.

Before joining the diplomatic service, he worked in the security sector for more than 30 years, rising to be the Chief of Defence Staff of Sierra Leone’s Armed Forces.

Ambassador Rwamucyo has been promoted to the position of High Commissioner of Rwanda to Kenya, with concurrent accreditation to Somalia and Eritrea.

Ambassador Kon is a seasoned diplomat whose distinguished career bridges the histories of both Sudan and South Sudan.

Before the independence of South Sudan, he served as Sudan’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2007 to 2011, with non-resident accreditation to the Republic of Congo, Brazzaville.

Singapore’s new envoy, Kiong, is the founder and chairman of Ernest Kan Financial Advisory and Business Consulting.

He has previously held various positions in private organisations in Singapore and the United Kingdom, including chief adviser of the Singapore Exchange and deputy managing partner of Deloitte Singapore.

Dominican Republic’s Rodríguez is a career diplomat with 27 years of service in her country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She holds a law degree from the National University Pedro Henríquez Ureña and has advanced qualifications in international law relations, diplomacy, and development cooperation.

Receiving their letters of credence, President Ruto urged the new envoys to pursue their national interests within Kenya and also promote bonds of friendship between Kenya and their respective countries.

“I accept your letters of credence and authorise you to pursue the interests of your country within Kenya’s borders and to pursue, to the widest extent possible, the promotion of the interests of your country, ensuring that the interests of our respective countries are nurtured,” he said.